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World number 25 Tomáš Macháč has quit mid-match amid an emotional on-court meltdown to hand the US free passage into Sunday’s United Cup final against Poland.
The top-seeded US went 1-0 up in Saturday night’s semifinal tie against Czechia at Ken Rosewall Arena after world number three Coco Gauff crushed Karolína Muchová 6-1, 6-4.
Czechia was on track to level the tie after Macháč took the first set against Taylor Fritz 7-6 (7/4) before racing out to a 5-2 lead in the second.
Macháč could not convert either of his two match points on Fritz’s service game, before the American got a break back to trail 4-5.
Tensions were clear to see at the changeover as Macháč berated himself and his team captain Daniel Vacek.
Macháč threatened to throw a bottle on the floor during his initial meltdown before composing himself.
Vacek was also feeling the heat, throwing a towel over a camera focusing on him when Macháč was back on court.
Fritz won the next two games for a 6-5 lead to ensure an even feistier time at what proved to be the final changeover.
Macháč threw his racquet down where the rest of his team were sitting.
Tomáš Macháč (right) berates Czechia captain Daniel Vacek during a change of ends. (AAP: Mark Evans)
He then embarked on an extended verbal tirade as Vacek watched on helplessly.
Macháč’s frustrations exploded to the point where he whacked his bag three times before he finally composed himself enough to return to the court.
He played just one more point before calling it quits, despite having no obvious physical ailment.
“It was a crazy match. It’s not the way I want to win,” Fritz said in his on-court interview.
“He (Macháč) said he’d been cramping for a couple of games already. I didn’t notice.
“He was moving pretty well. But I guess he was playing through it, fighting.
“It’s really humid in here. That’s something I was thinking of: if I could win that set and take it to a third, I thought someone might start cramping later on.”
Poland secured its spot in the final with a 3-0 clean sweep of Kazakhstan earlier on Saturday.
Reilly Opelka defeated Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard to reach the men’s final in Brisbane. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)
At the Brisbane International, Reilly Opelka — who beat Novak Djokovic on Friday night — defied his injury concerns to get past France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in the semifinals.
The American, a former world number 17, is on the comeback from two wrist surgeries as well as a hip operation that robbed him of almost two years on the tour.
He will play Jiří Lehečka in the final after the Czech went through following defending champion Grigor Dimitrov’s retirement from their semifinal.
Trailing 6-4, 4-4, world number 10 Dimitrov received treatment on his groin and hip region before withdrawing.
In the women’s draw, Aryna Sabalenka defeated Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 6-2 in the last four.
The world number one advanced to the final where she will play qualifier Polina Kudermetova, who defeated Anhelina Kalinina 6-4, 6-3.
AAP/ABC
Look back at how the action unfolded in our blog.
Key Events
Good night!
We’re going to call time on another massive day of tennis in Australia and New Zealand.
Thanks for your company and remember to join us on Sunday for the finals of the Brisbane International, United Cup and Auckland Open.
Have a great night and see you next time!
Brisbane International: Opelka serves his way into final
It’s an inspiring story as Reilly Opelka advances to the final in Brisbane.
Opelka’s history of injuries is well-documented and he has achieved a key milestone by reaching an ATP Tour final while on the comeback trail.
In a battle of the big servers, the lanky American beat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in the semis.
Opelka did need treatment on his right wrist during the match, but hopefully this won’t be a concern in Sunday’s final against Jiří Lehečka.
Brisbane International: Second set comes down to tie-break
Reilly Opelka and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard will duke it out in a tie-break to decide who wins the second set.
Brisbane International: Games on serve in second set
For the moment, it seems Reilly Opelka will continue on in his semifinal against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, despite his wrist concern.
Games are on serve in the second set, with Mpetshi Perricard leading 5-4.
Brisbane International: Opelka wins first set despite injury concern
Reilly Opelka has won the first set 6-3 against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
The American received more physio treatment on his right wrist at the change of ends but has given no indication he will retire.
Brisbane International: Opelka calls for physio
Reilly Opelka has received on-court treatment from the tournament phyiso for what appears to be a right wrist concern.
This is worrying, as Opelka has had multiple wrist injuries that threatened to end his career.
A medical timeout was called and Opelka returned to the court.
Let’s hope this isn’t as serious as it appears to be.
Opelka is leading Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 5-2 in the first set.
Brisbane International: Opelka hits the ground running
An early service break has given Reilly Opelka a 3-0 lead in the opening set against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
The towering American — standing at 211cm — broke the rising French star in the second game.
Brisbane International: Opelka and Mpetshi Perricard take to the court
Right … we’re trying to unpack what just happened in Sydney.
Meanwhile, Reilly Opelka — 24 hours after beating Novak Djokovic — is playing Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the Brisbane International semifinals.
The players are on the court warming up and we’ll update you throughout the match.
Novak Djokovic’s conqueror
I don’t think I was the only person shocked at last night’s singles result in the men’s draw, when Reilly Opelka scored a stunning upset win over Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic didn’t do much wrong in truth, but he was blown away by the power and angles created by the largest man I’ve ever seen on a tennis court.
If you wanted to see what impact Djokovic had on Opelka during his lengthy injury breaks over the past couple of years, which is why his ranking of 293 is a real false position, read this.
United Cup: Macháč’s retirement hands US semifinal victory
Drama at Ken Rosewall Arena, with Czechia’s Tomáš Macháč suddenly retiring during his singles rubber against Taylor Fritz of the US.
With Fritz to serve for the second set at 6-5, Macháč abruptly indicated to the chair umpire he was withdrawing while pointing to his upper right leg.
In his on-court interview, Fritz said Macháč told him he was cramping.
Only minutes earlier, Macháč was berating himself and his team captain Daniel Vacek after he coughed up a 5-2 lead and multiple match points in the second set.
Having won the first set in a tie-break (7-4), Macháč had two match points on Fritz’s serve in the eighth game of the second.
Fritz held and eventually won four straight games.
The win gave the US an unassailable 2-0 advantage in the semifinal.
Earlier, Coco Gauff defeated Karolína Muchová 6-1, 6-4 to give the US a 1-0 lead.
The US will play Poland in Sunday’s final.
Brisbane International: Sabalenka to face Kudermetova in final
Aryna Sabalenka moves on to the final after a straight-sets victory over Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.
Sabalenka won 6-3, 6-2 and will play Polina Kudermetova in Sunday’s final.
Eighth-seeded Andreeva may not have won a set against Sabalenka, but she did trouble the world number one.
She had eight break points during the match, however was unable to convert on any of them.
The 17-year-old has a bright future and she’ll be one to watch at the Australian Open when it begins in just over a week’s time.
Brisbane International: Sabalenka to serve for the match
Aryna Sabalenka’s experience is shining through as she gains a double break on Mirra Andreeva’s serve.
The US Open champion will serve for the match at 5-2 in the second set.
Brisbane International: Sabalenka gets an early break in second set
Aryna Sabalenka enjoys some breathing space in the second set of her semifinal against Mirra Andreeva.
The two-time defending Australian Open champion broke her opponent in the third game to lead 2-1.
A spot in the final against Polina Kudermetova is up for grabs in this evening’s match.
United Cup: Macháč wins tie-break
Czechia’s Tomáš Macháč is a set up against American Taylor Fritz in the second singles match in the United Cup semifinal in Sydney.
Macháč won a tie-break (7-4) in the first set to give himself an excellent chance of levelling the tie at 1-1.
Coco Gauff had earlier defeated Karolína Muchová 6-1, 6-4 in the opening singles rubber.
Brisbane International: First set to Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka claims the first set against Mirra Andreeva, winning 6-3 after 52 minutes on court.
Andreeva showed her fighting qualities to save two set points in the ninth game.
She even had a break point to put the set back on serve.
The weather conditions are steamy inside Pat Rafter Arena, with Sabalenka opting to rub an ice pack over head during the change of ends.
Brisbane International: Sabalenka to serve for opening set
Aryna Sabalenka gets a service break in the eighth game.
She had two break points in her possession but only needed one to claim a 5-3 lead over Mirra Andreeva.
Brisbane International: Sabalenka holds under pressure
An absorbing seventh game of the opening set, with Aryna Sabalenka holding to lead 4-3.
It was not without drama, as Mirra Andreeva snared a break point before Sabalenka eventually held.
Some of the rallies between these two have been extraordinary so far, with both producing punishing groundstrokes.
Brisbane International: Sabalenka survives nervous opening game
We mentioned Mirra Andreeva would be a stiff challenge for Aryna Sabalenka to overcome and she’s already proved that’s the case.
The young Russian put Sabalenka’s serve under immediate pressure, earning three break points in the opening game of the match.
Sabalenka saved each to hold, but the early signs are clear Andreeva is not intimidated by the world number one.
Brisbane International: Sabalenka and Andreeva on court
World number one Aryna Sabalenka is yet to drop a set in Brisbane, but she faces a stern test against Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.
At 17, Andreeva has already reached the semifinals of a major following an inspired run at last year’s French Open.
She is ranked at a career-high 16 and is seeded eighth in Brisbane.
This promises to be an intriguing match-up.
United Cup: Gauff puts US 1-0 up against Czechia
Coco Gauff has completed her assignment by winning the opening singles rubber in the United Cup semis.
Gauff defeated Karolína Muchová 6-1, 6-4 to give the US a 1-0 lead over Czechia at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Service breaks were traded late in the second set, but Gauff already had one up her sleeve.
Taylor Fritz is up next against Tomáš Macháč.
