World No. 6 Elena Rybakina led Kazakhstan to a 2-1 victory over Spain on Friday, giving the former Wimbledon champions a winning start to the season in the United Cup mixed teams competition. The 2022 All England Club winner clinched the title in the opening round of the 18-nation ATP-WTA tournament, which begins in Perth and Sydney in 2025. Each team has three men and three women, with one men’s singles player and one women’s singles player, often in a decisive mixed doubles match.
Rybakina and Alexander Shevchenko defeated Spaniards Pablo Carreno Busta and Yvonne Cavale-Reimers in mixed doubles with a result of 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (2/7), 10-7. He achieved victory.
“It was a really tough match. The first match is always difficult,” Rybakina said. “It’s not easy to get used to it so quickly, but I’m really happy with how I played today.”
Rybakina won three titles in the first eight tournaments last season before being sidelined by injury or illness, defeating Jessica Buzas Maneiro 6-2, 6-3 in singles to earn Kazakhstan’s first point. did.
Shevchenko was unable to equalize after defeating 33-year-old Carreño Busta in the singles match, losing 6-2, 6-1, forcing the match into a competitive mixed doubles match.
The winner was undecided until the end, and it was a one-on-one battle between Rybakina and the Spaniard, but Shevchenko ended the drama in the 82nd minute by hitting the winning volley into the net.
Shevchenko praised her Grand Slam champion teammates for “carrying me”, while Rybakina praised his fighting spirit for getting the job done in the final set.
China will play Brazil in a night session in Perth, with matches in Sydney starting on Saturday.
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