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Crew USA has purpose to really feel assured on the eve of the United Cup. The Individuals have despatched a group to Sydney that sees No.11 Madison Keys and No.19 Frances Tiafoe as their No.2 singles gamers behind No.3 Jessica Pegula and No.9 Taylor Fritz. Actually, the Individuals are the one group in the complete 18-team competitors to boast a complete of 4 Prime 20 gamers.
“I feel we now have an amazing group,” Tiafoe advised reporters on Media Day. “Hopefully we will win it. Hopefully Taylor, Jess and Madi can carry me. It is easy to compete when it isn’t about you.”
America is the highest seed in Group C, which additionally contains a Petra Kvitova-led Czech Republic, and Germany.
“I feel it is an fascinating group, particularly with america,” mentioned Germany’s captain Mischa Zverev. “They’ve very robust female and male gamers who’ve carried out properly during the last months.
“I do not need to say we’re not the favorites, as a result of we now have a really robust group, however I feel it is going to be essential to make use of all our little tips to win these video games. I do not need to say successful ugly is vital, however in a group, you must use all the things you possibly can to distract the opposite participant, in a good method in fact, however use your energy and win these ties.”
The Individuals will open play on Day 1 in opposition to the Czech Republic. Coming off a brief low season after a run to the semifinals of the ATP Finals and representing the USA at Davis Cup, Fritz will tackle 21-year-old Jiri Lehecka. Ranked No.84, Lehecka completed his 2022 season by making the ultimate on the Subsequent Gen Finals.
“It will have been good to have extra time to dive again into the brand new season however I am able to go,” Fritz mentioned. “It is all the time enjoyable to begin with a group competitors. We now have an especially robust group.”
The WTA match will function the second assembly between Keys and No.24 Marie Bouzkova. Australia has been fertile floor for Keys, who made her first main semifinal in Melbourne in 2015 and repeated the feat final January. She additionally picked up her final title in Adelaide a 12 months in the past.
“I misplaced to Madison right here three years in the past in Brisbane,” Bouzkova mentioned. “It is a laborious match to begin the season however I feel it is an amazing first take a look at to get going right here.”
Day 2 will see the WTA No.1s go head-to-head, as Pegula takes on Kvitova. Having completed her season together with her first WTA 1000 title in Guadalajara and qualifying for the WTA Finals in singles and doubles, Pegula shook off any concern of a fatigue-hangover to begin the season.
“It is all the time a tricky turnaround however I feel the fellows had even much less time,” Pegula mentioned. “For me, it felt prefer it was sufficient.
“A whole lot of us needed to fly over Christmas and that is not enjoyable. However coming and beginning the 12 months with a group occasion it is a completely different power, perhaps extra relaxed, extra of a enjoyable ambiance, rather less disturbing.”
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