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Australia and Russia qualified for the semi-finals of the ATP Cup opener. Unlike Russia, which closed its accounts with Argentina after the victories recorded by its two top players, Khachanov and Medvedev, the home team needed to play in the pair game against the UK in order to secure the ticket between the top four best teams in this first edition in ATP Cup history.
On Australia’s East Coast in Sydney at the Ken Rosewall Arena in the quarterfinals, the home team quickly took over thanks to world number 29 Nick Kyrgios. The 24-year-old from Canberra defeated Cameron Norrie 6-2, 6-2 in just 72 ? game ATP Class 52 Cameron Norrie, however, friends retaliated in the next duel, where Britain’s first No. 42 rocket, Dan Evans , defeated Australia’s first missile, Alex De Minaur, in three sets. Number 18 in the ATP rankings had the lead of a “game” with a “break” in the opener set, however the 29-year-old recovered, closing accounts 7-4 in a “tie break”.
In the following set, Alex De Minaur snatched his opponent’s services in the third game to win 6-4, however the final set ended as well as the tie break opener, where again the tennis player from The West Midlands, which, though losing the lead over a “break” game, still managed to triumph at 7-2 in a meeting that lasted nearly three and a half hours. Australia made the crucial point in the couple’s game, where Nick Kyrgios – Alex De Minaur doubled in front of British pennant Jamie Murray – Joe Salisbury. In the opener set the friends overturned the disadvantage of a 2-0 start, winning 6 of the next 7 “games”, however the locals recovered, returning everything to win the next two sets.
Initially, the Australian doubles retaliated by winning the second set with the same 6-3 score, however everything was apparently left for the final set. In the final set, Australia canceled out four opportunities for the British couple and in the end the locals ended the challenge in their fifth match point, triumphing 18-16 in a tie break.
Things were much simpler on the other side for Russia, beating Argentina 3-0. Initially faced two second-round picks, No. 17 Karen Khachanov of the ATP rankings 25, Guido Pella, and the 23-year-old Moscow triumphed in just two sets of 6-2, 7-6, and the defining point was secured. 5, Danil Medvedev, who needed three sets to win the battle of the country’s first missiles.
Eventually, Medvedev won 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in almost two and a half hours against Argentine Diego Schwartzman, however, in the end, though the accounts were closed earlier, the Russian Gabashvili-Kravchuk pair also defeated rival Gonzalez – Molten, 7-6, 6-4.