By Richard Pagliaro Monday, January 5, 2026
Image source: Manchester United Cup Facebook
Taylor Fritz Pulled America back from the brink.
Coco Gough and Christian Harrison Push Team USA across the finish line.
World No. 4 Gauff and Harrison defeated Yvonne Kavale Reimers and Inigo Cervantes The United States returned to the Fed Cup quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Spain 7-6(5), 6-0 at the RAC Arena in Perth.
The United States became the third team to reach the quarterfinals of the Confederations Cup after Greece and Switzerland.
It was redemption for Gauff, whose six-match Fed Cup singles winning streak was ended. Jessica Bouzas Manero 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-0, Spain took a shocking 1-0 lead.
Gauff said she was disappointed in the bathroom and came back to support Fritz before teaming up with Harrison for her second mixed doubles win of the week.
“Yeah, obviously it wasn’t a great game for me. I tried my best to fight back with everything I had at the time, but, yeah, once the game was over, I just sat in the bathroom for a while,” Goff said. “Then I knew I had a lot of confidence in Tyler, so I just wanted to make sure I was ready for the mixed game. I
I guess that’s the beauty of this event, because there are other people who can pick you up while you’re taking a break.
“Yes, I’m looking forward to performing better in the next games.”
Fritz lost to Argentina’s Sebastian Baez in his first match of the season, but showed great courage in a marathon match that lasted 3 hours and 14 minutes, saving a match point to defeat Spain’s Jaume Munar 7-6(4), 3-6, 7-6(6).
“I said today’s injury was definitely a positive for me,” Fritz said. “I think at the end of the first set I started to feel a little pain in my knee, but in the past when I felt it, I started to feel it getting worse and worse
From then on, things got worse. I felt like my pain level stayed where it started, so I was able to continue playing the entire game and it never really became too much of an issue.
“Even now, after everything I’ve been through, it doesn’t feel as bad as what I’m used to. That’s a huge positive for me, just injury-wise. As far as today, I’m telling everyone I was a bit of a freeloader on the first day. I lost and everyone was picking up the slack. I needed to earn my stripes for the team today.”
