Team USA Sweeps Spain 3-0 to Advance in United Cup

In Perth, Australia, on Monday, Team USA clinched a spot in the United Cup quarterfinals by sweeping Spain 3-0 in their Group A finale, overcoming an earlier singles setback for American star Coco Gauff to secure the team's advancement in the season-opening team event.

The United States began their title defense strongly against Argentina on Saturday at RAC Arena. Taylor Fritz, ranked in the top 10, fell to Sebastian Baez in a three-set match, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, giving Argentina an initial 1-0 lead. Fritz later noted the match showed rust in his 2026 debut, saying Baez raised his level in key moments while he struggled with control on his shots.

Gauff, the world No. 3 and reigning French Open champion, responded decisively in the women's singles, defeating Solana Sierra 6-1, 6-1 in 58 minutes. The American controlled the match from the baseline, breaking Sierra multiple times and committing few errors despite starting the season under pressure. "I'm really happy with how I played today," Gauff said afterward. "It's always tough starting the first match of the season, especially against someone like her who played yesterday. But I feel like I can play even better, which is even more...