United Cup
Gauff turns off the Báez effect in the United Cup
The American helped give two points to the current champion
January 03, 2026
Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images
Coco Gauff has a 6-0 record in the United Cup and has yet to lose a set.
by this ATEDIDE ATP
Sebastián Báez put the current United Cup champion in check this Saturday in Perth, when he managed to overtake Argentina in the first match of the series against the United States. However, Coco Gauff took the lead for her country to end up overcoming the Group A tie 2-1.
Argentina arrived with the confidence of having surpassed Spain with authority this past Friday (3-0) and took advantage of it to also transfer its moment against the Americans. However, the albicelestes celebrated their first four games in this edition with victory.
Báez signed the second victory of his career against a Top 10, after surprising No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Taylor Fritz, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and 33 minutes.
The world No. 45 had just knocked down the Spanish Jaume Munar in their first duel and extended his great moment also against Fritz. “I’m very happy right now,” the Argentine acknowledged after the match.
“We have been looking for this feeling for many years and I am happy to give this point to Argentina,” continued Báez, who managed to add his first victory in the Lexus ATP Head2Head against the American (1-5). “Thank you to the public. I felt very comfortable today.”
But the No. 3 of the PIF WTA Rankings and No. 1 of the United States team emerged as the great protagonist of the day. First of all, signing the tables almost immediately. He barely needed 57 minutes to defeat Solana Sierra 6-1, 6-1.
It was the first duel between Gauff and Sierra. What’s more, the first time that the Argentine crossed paths with a Top 10 category rival in her career.
“I think I can play even better, which is even more exciting,” Gauff confessed in the courtside interview. “It is always difficult to play the first game of the season, especially against a rival like her, someone who has just played yesterday. I am very happy with how I managed all those emotions.”
Sierra had defeated WTA world No. 41, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, this Friday. But Gauff was intractable opening each set with a 5-0 run, thanks to the fact that he converted six of the ten break opportunities he had in his favor.
After his impeccable performance, Gauff returned to the RAC Arena to share the same side of the court with his compatriot Christian Harrison and ended up giving the United States the victory in the tie.
The American duo defeated María Lourdes Carlé and Guido Andreozzi 6-4, 6-1, in 62 minutes, which leaves Group A open. If the defenders of the crown defeat Spain, they will ensure their presence in the quarterfinals.
