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Jessica Pegula of the United States hits a return shot...

Jessica Pegula of the United States hits a return shot to Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia during the United Cup tennis tournament in Perth, Australia, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Credit: AP/Trevor Collens

PERTH, Australia — Host Australia advanced to the quarterfinals of the United Cup on Monday with a 2-1 victory over defending champion United States.

Matthew Ebden and Storm Hunter combined effectively in the decisive mixed doubles match to beat Jessica Pegula and Rajeev Ram 6-3, 6-1 in Perth and ensured that Australia finished top of Group C in the 18-country mixed-teams event with the Americans second.

“This means everything,” Hunter said. “It is a dream come true. Playing in front of the home crowd and playing with Matty, a Perth local, it is a dream come true to win and go into the quarterfinals at home.”

Alex de Minaur had provided Australia with a 1-0 lead by beating Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2 but Pegula responded by defeating Ajla Tomljanovic 7-6 (6), 6-3 to make it 1-1.

No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek led Poland into the quarterfinals, winning both her singles and doubles matches in Perth while France kept its hopes alive with a thrilling 2-1 win over Germany in Sydney.

Swiatek needed to win her singles match against Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo to keep the tie alive. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina had given Spain a 1-0 lead with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback victory over No. 9-ranked Hubert Hurkacz.

Swiatek beat Sorribes Tormo 6-2, 6-1 to force a mixed doubles decider. Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, and Hurkacz then needed little more than a half-hour to wrap up the tie with a 6-0, 6-0 win to make Poland the first country through to the quarterfinals.

Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain hits a forehand return to...

Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain hits a forehand return to Iga Swiatek of Poland during the United Cup tennis tournament in Perth, Australia, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Credit: AP/Trevor Collens

France's Caroline Garcia and Edouard Roger-Vasselin saved a match point in the decisive mixed doubles against Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev to win 7-6 (4), 2-6, 12-10.

“Crazy match, crazy end. So happy we got through,” Roger-Vasselin said. “Thanks for the crowd, for the French crowd who stayed that late. I don’t know what time it is, but I think it’s quite late!”

France can win Group D if it beats Italy on Wednesday.

Garcia had earlier leveled for France at 1-1 when she beat Kerber 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 after Zverev overcame Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to give Germany a perfect start.

Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain serves to Iga Swiatek of...

Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain serves to Iga Swiatek of Poland during the United Cup tennis tournament in Perth, Australia, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Credit: AP/Trevor Collens

Three-time Grand Slam singles finalist Casper Ruud kept Norway’s quarterfinal chances alive with victories in the singles and mixed doubles against Croatia in Sydney.

Norway won 2-1 with a 6-2, 3-6, 10-7 victory for Ruud and Ulrikke Eikeri over Donna Vekic and Ivan Dodig in the last match. That leaves Norway (1-1) awaiting the outcome of the last remaining Group F match between Croatia (0-1) and the Netherlands (1-0) on Tuesday.

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