Elena Rybakina guided Kazakhstan to a 2-1 victory in opposition to Spain in her United Cup debut on the RAC Enviornment in Perth on Friday.
The world quantity six defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2 6-3 within the singles after which mixed with Alexander Shevchenko to clinch the deciding combined doubles.
Kazakhstan can qualify for the quarter-finals of the 18-nation combined groups occasion by beating Greece in its second Group C match on Monday.
Former world quantity 10 Pablo Carreno Busta swept apart Shevchenko 6-2 6-1 in little over an hour to place Spain forward earlier than Rybakina, enjoying her first match since hiring Goran Ivanisevic as coach for the season, pulled Kazakhstan degree.
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The 25-year-old raced to a 4-0 lead earlier than Bouzas Maneiro might put up some kind of resistance successful the subsequent two video games. Rybakina quickly asserted herself once more and broke her opponent at like to take the opening set.
The Kazakh fired a collection of backhand winners for the same 4-2 lead within the second set and Bouzas Maneiro held three break factors at 5-3 earlier than Rybakina’s energy sport prevailed.
“The primary match is at all times tough,” former Wimbledon champion Rybakina mentioned.
“It’s not straightforward to get used that fast however I’m fairly proud of the best way I performed at the moment.”
She was quickly again on court docket alongside Shevchenko to attain a 7-6(4) 6-7(2) 10-7 win in opposition to Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers and Carreno Busta.
“If ‘Lena’ wasn’t carrying me this match we might lose … Due to her,” Shevchenko mentioned.
Group E motion begins within the second session with Brazil dealing with a China facet depleted by the withdrawal of Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen, who opted to relaxation forward of the Australian Open.