Swiatek leads Poland into United Cup semis after bossing China, De Minaur shocks Djokovic

The consecutive victories in Perth secured the win for the Poles and advanced them to the next round, where they will face either Norway or France in Sydney.

Adrian Mannarino and Caroline Garcia's triumph over Italy propelled France into the quarter-finals, where they will compete against the Norwegians.

Hurkacz displayed a dominant performance, defeating Zhang Zhizhen with a score of 6-3, 6-4. Following suit, world number one Swiatek showcased her skills by winning nine consecutive games and defeating Zheng Qinwen 6-2, 6-3, despite facing two service breaks.

Swiatek expressed her excitement about qualifying for the semi-finals of the 18-nation mixed team tournament and eagerly anticipated their arrival in Sydney, mentioning Bondi Beach. She also mentioned her satisfaction with her own performance and the positive team atmosphere.

"I believe that our team is stronger when we play together, so partnering with Hurkacz is an exciting prospect for me. I am truly delighted with every match I play here," Swiatek stated.

Hurkacz recorded 10 aces as he eliminated Zhang, the top-ranked Chinese player.

The victor commented on the challenging nature of the match and praised Zhang's ability to execute impressive shots.

The Sydney tournament saw Mannarino, a seasoned player who had a successful season last year, defeat Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-4. Garcia also secured a hard-fought victory against Jasmine Paolini with a score of 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

With this win, France now holds an insurmountable 2-0 lead, guaranteeing their spot in the knockout rounds.

Greece secured the last quarter-final spot as Stefanos Tsitsipas triumphed over Steven Diez in straight sets, and Maria Sakkari overcame Leylah Fernandez with a score of 7-6, 6-3.

The Sydney quarter-finals will take place on Thursday and Friday, followed by the semi-finals on Saturday and the final on the subsequent day.

Mannarino, at 35 years old, had an exceptional season last year, winning titles at Astana, Newport, and Sofia, and achieving a personal best of 43 wins. This propelled him to a career-high ranking of 22.

After starting his season with a loss to the seventh-ranked player in the world, Alexander Zverev, Mannarino proved to be too strong for Sonego, who is ranked 46th. The match took place on a scorching day at Ken Rosewall Arena.

Reflecting on the match, Mannarino acknowledged the difficulty of playing against Sonego and expressed his fortune in crucial moments of the second set, which ultimately led to his victory.

The Frenchman remained unchallenged throughout the match, not facing a single break point and displaying a consistent performance, particularly on his second serve, where he won 13 out of 18 points.

Garcia, who has dropped to the 20th position in the rankings after achieving a career-high of four in 2018, successfully completed the task against Paolini.

However, the 29th-ranked Italian, determined not to give up easily, extended the match to three intense sets lasting 2 hours and 16 minutes. It was only when Garcia served flawlessly and secured the victory that the match concluded.

Novak Djokovic, who had been unbeaten this season, suffered a surprising defeat with a score of 6-4, 6-4 against Alex de Minaur, who played a crucial role in Australia's impressive quarter-final triumph on Wednesday.

In the second match of the tie, Ajla Tomljanovic defeated Natalija Stevanovic, securing Australia's place in the final four.

Djokovic had been dealing with a right wrist issue during Serbia's win over Czech Republic on Tuesday, and he received further treatment from a trainer before De Minaur managed to break his serve and ultimately claim the first set.

Despite Djokovic's efforts to save the match, he once again lost his serve, giving De Minaur a 4-3 advantage in the second set. Although Djokovic saved three match points later on, he was unable to prevent the shocking loss.

After securing the most significant victory of his career, world number 12 De Minaur expressed his admiration for Novak as an exceptional competitor and acknowledged his remarkable contributions to the sport.

The triumph feels surreal and absolutely incredible, especially since it took place in Perth, Australia. De Minaur is overjoyed to have achieved this milestone on home soil.

When facing Novak, De Minaur believes in approaching the match with a sense of enjoyment, self-belief, and an unwavering determination to fight until the very end. Today was his day, and he is delighted to have emerged victorious. This particular win holds immense significance for him.

The Australian Open is scheduled to take place from January 14th to the 28th.