Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz powered the US into the semifinals of the United Cup mixed teams tennis event in Australia on Wednesday. In the first singles match in Perth, Gauff got the ball rolling for her team with a gritty 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over Zhang Shuai. Fritz then made sure of victory by edging a tight contest with Zhang Zhizhen 6-4 6-4.
![[Gauff said she 'was literally on the ground for most of the match' against the tough opponent]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/01/13/93643819-0-image-a-14_1735738447573.jpg)
World No.3-ranked Gauff said: 'Shuai was playing amazing tennis out there. I was literally on the ground for most of the match. The harder I hit, the harder she was hitting. 'I felt like I couldn´t get her on defense. She was playing so aggressive on me and I felt like I had to go more on my second serves, which brought in more double faults. But if I just put it in it was a return winner so I had to take my chances.'.
![[American Gauff hugs Shuai at the net at the end of the match following her straight-sets win]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/01/13/93643825-0-image-a-15_1735738453133.jpg)
Kazakhstan also advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 win over a Germany team playing without the injured world No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev. Zverev was a late scratch for Germany due to a biceps injury. He was scheduled to face Alexander Shevchenko but withdrew at the last minute with Kazakhstan leading the tie 1-0 after Elena Rybakina beat Laura Siegemund 6-3, 6-1.
![[Taylor Fritz also secured a victory in his match against China's Zhang Zhizhen]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/01/13/93643829-0-image-a-16_1735738455907.jpg)
Coco Gauff takes the applause of the crowd after beating Zhang Shuai in Perth on Wednesday. Gauff said she 'was literally on the ground for most of the match' against the tough opponent. Shevchenko beat Zverev's replacement, Daniel Masur, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2 to clinch the tie for Kazakhstan while Zverev watched from the sidelines. Germany won the later mixed doubles.
