March 29, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA Alexander Zverev (GER) reacts after winning the second set tiebreak against Grigor Dmitrov (BUL) (not pictured) in a Miami Open men’s singles semifinal at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Defending champions Germany took a dominant first step in their United Cup defense by sweeping Brazil on Sunday in Perth, Australia.
The Brazilians, 13th and winless in Group E play, were eliminated from the mixed group event.
The No. World No. 2 Alexander Zverev needed just 77 minutes to defeat Thiago Monteiro 6-4, 6-4. His German 11th-seeded teammate Laura Siegemund needed twice this time to beat Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
The win set up a showdown for Germany against China, who are also 1-0 in Group E.
Fourth-seeded Italy held Switzerland to 1-1 in Group D play with a sweep in Sydney. Flavio Cobolli and Jasmine Paolini each recorded straight-set wins over the 16th-seeded Swiss, with Cobolli overcoming Dominic Stricker 6-3, 7-6 (2) and Paolini beating Belinda Bencic 6- 1, 6-1.
A win against France on Tuesday would knock Italy out of group play.
And also in Sydney, Group B action kicked off with the Czech Republic beating Norway 2-1. Karolina Muchova opened with a 6-2, 6-2 win for the Czech eighth seeds against Malene Helgo, then Norway’s Casper Ruud overcame Tomas Machac 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-4 in a match which lasted just chasing away three hours.
Muchova and Machac teamed up to defeat the 15th-ranked Norwegians in the mixed doubles, beating Ulrikke Eikeri and Viktor Durasovic 6-4, 6-4 to give the Czechs the match win.
–Within field level