United Cup: Swiatek, Hurkacz clinch semifinal spot for Poland

Perth, Jan 3 (IANS) World No.1 Iga Swiatek propelled Team Poland into the United Cup semifinals for the second straight year by defeating China’s Zheng Qinwen 6-2, 6-3 here on Wednesday.

Following the win by her fellow Top 10 Pole Hubert Hurkacz in the opening men’s singles match, four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek took 1 hour and 34 minutes to beat 21-year-old Zheng and clinch the quarterfinal tie.

Poland, who lost to eventual champion United States in last year’s final four, will now travel from Perth to Sydney to compete in this weekend’s semifinals.

In the first match of the tie, Hurkacz moved Poland to the brink of the semifinals when he defeated Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 6-4 and put his country 1-0 up.