Australian Open favourite Iga Świątek has been handed a stunning defeat at the United Cup, just over a week before the start of the first tennis major of the season.
The Polish world number one was beaten 6-2, 6-2 by Jessica Pegula of the United States in the first women's rubber of the opening semifinal of the mixed-teams event in Sydney.
Pegula's win was backed up by compatriot Frances Tiafoe, who easily defeated lowly-ranked Pole Kacper Żuk 6-3, 6-3 in the first men's rubber.
Tiafoe's win gave the US a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five-match tie being held under a closed roof at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Pegula — ranked number three in the world — reversed a run of four straight losses to Świątek, who is the reigning French and US Open champion.
Pegula broke Świątek five times and dropped her own serve only once in storming to her first win over the three-time major singles champion since 2019.
"I've played her in a lot of different places but I definitely feel like these were the fastest conditions," said Pegula, who lost to Ash Barty in the Australian Open quarterfinals last year.
"Also Poland had a tough turnaround yesterday and we've been lucky enough to have been playing here, and maybe have a little bit of an advantage in being used to the courts.
"So I wanted to take that and use it as much as I could and I did a really good job playing really aggressive, serving smart and returning really well."
Greece and Italy will play the opening two singles rubbers of the second semifinal in Sydney later on Friday night.
AAP/ABC
