Alex De Minaur forces Manchester United Cup QF decider with thrilling win | ATP Tour

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Gridy De Minaur sends Australia-Poland League Cup qualifier into mixed doubles

Mixed doubles will determine whether Australia or Poland take on the United States in Saturday night’s semifinals

January 9, 2026

Australia’s Alex De Minaur produced one of the grittiest first-set performances of his career on Friday night in Sydney, defeating Poland’s Hubert Hulkac 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to send his final Fed Cup quarter-final match into a mixed doubles decider.

After former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek defeated Australian teenager Maya United 6-1, 6-1, the world No. 6 saved all nine break points he faced in his first four service games, including four in the second game, to help Australia stay in the match.

“Nights like this… it’s the best,” De Minaur said. “I love playing here. The atmosphere is great from the first ball to the last ball.

“I just had to fight him from the first point to the last point. It was a big mental effort and we were still alive. I was happy to bounce back after losing the second set. I had some dark thoughts in my head.”

The match will now be decided by mixed doubles, with the winner advancing to Saturday night’s semifinals against the defending champions, the United States. None of the four singles players will compete in the mixed doubles event. Australia’s John Patrick Smith and Storm Hunters will take on Jan Zielinski and Katarzyna Kawa.

Heckaz, playing his first match since last year’s grass-court season, was virtually unbeatable in his first three service games, only losing one point on serve. But he became increasingly frustrated as he was unable to capitalize on his chances in the rematch, and his number of unforced errors increased late in the set.

After De Minaur saved three break points to level the match at 4-4, the 26-year-old earned the decisive break and then won 21 consecutive points on serve before accidentally losing serve at the end of the second set.

But inspired by the deafening cheers of the Australian fans inside the Ken Rosewall Arena, De Minaur went into lockdown mode and committed just two unforced errors in the decider to claim his eighth win in 11 Fed Cup singles matches.

Previously, Swiatek defeated Australia’s Rising Stars United in the quarter-finals of the Federation Cup, winning 6-1, 6-1 in just 57 minutes.

Throughout, the world No. 2’s experience prevailed, and Swiatek earned her second career win over United: Swiatek won 6-0, 6-2 in the Seoul semifinals, a match she later won. Swiatek also earned her 15th singles victory at the Fed Cup.

“I think the intensity — the ball got pretty heavy, so I’m glad I kept pushing forward,” Swiatek said on the court. “I was very confident at the end, so it was a good game for sure.”

The two sides held serve and initially led 1-0, but then Swiatek’s performances ensued. The six-time Grand Slam champion dominated the match with overwhelming control, often forcing United to scramble from side to side to keep the game alive.

Swiatek won six games in a row, winning the first set with a breadstick in 26 minutes and earning “Iga” chants from Polish supporters early in the match. Her set point, a cross-court forehand winner that rocketed past an outstretched knuckle, summed up the match best.

In the second game, Swiatek and United exchanged possession, with the latter earning some encouragement from the home fans. Likewise, Swiatek regained the lead with a break of serve and never looked back, en route to a double-breadstick victory.