The first men’s singles match of Group E “Japan vs. Great Britain” of the United Cup (Australia/Perth, Sydney, Hard) was held on the 4th, and world No. 99 Shintaro Mochizuki lost to No. 128 B. Harris (UK) in straight sets, 6-7 (4-7), 3-6, leaving Japan on the brink of one loss.
＞＞[Video]Shintaro Mochizuki’s straight loss to world No. 128 brings Japan to the brink, the moment the match ends ＜＜
＞＞Naomi Osaka vs Swan 1 point breaking news＜＜
＞＞Nao Hibino/Yasutaka Uchiyama vs Nichols/Skupski 1 point breaking news＜＜
＞＞Kei Nishikori vs Kopjiba 1 point breaking news＜＜
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The tournament is the opening game of the 2026 season, and will be a mixed national competition between men and women that will be held from the 2nd to the 11th. The 18 countries will be divided into six groups of three teams each and will play a round robin. Each match will consist of three matches: one men’s singles match, one women’s singles match, and one mixed doubles match, and a total of eight countries will advance to the quarterfinals, consisting of the six first-place countries in each group and the top two teams among the second-place teams.
This is Japan’s first appearance in the tournament. The coach is Go Soeda, and the members are Mochizuki for the men, Yasutaka Uchiyama, ranked 309th in the world, Naomi Osaka, ranked 16th in the world, and Nao Hibi, ranked 174th in the women’s team.
Japan, now in Group E, will play Greece on the 2nd and England on the 4th in Perth. In the match against Greece held on the 2nd, they lost with 0 wins and 3 losses.
On this day, 22-year-old Mochizuki and 30-year-old Harris met in the first men’s singles match against England.
In the first set of this match, Mochizuki succeeded in breaking in the 8th game with his signature volley. However, in the 9th game, when they were serving for the set, they allowed a break back, and then both players got one break each, losing the tie-break and taking the lead.
Mochizuki, who had a break point in the fourth game of the second set, made a mistake in a backhand exchange and was given a break, but was unable to get a break back and ran out of steam.
With one loss and no chance left, Japan’s second match, the women’s singles, will see Osaka face K. Swann (Great Britain), who is ranked 276th in the world. Osaka was originally scheduled to face E. Raducanu (Great Britain), who is ranked 29th in the tournament, but Great Britain made a change to its lineup.
[RAC Arena]
1st match
Shintaro Mochizuki 6-7 (4-7), 3-6 Harris
＞＞Shintaro Mochizuki vs. Harris 1 point quick report/results＜＜
2nd match
Naomi Osaka vs Swan
＞＞Naomi Osaka vs Swan 1 point breaking news＜＜
3rd game
Nao Hibi/ Yasutaka Uchiyama vs O. Nichols (UK)/ N. Skupski (UK)
＞＞Nao Hibino/Yasutaka Uchiyama vs Nichols/Skupski 1 point breaking news＜＜
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