MADRID, 27 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish team lost this Friday against Kazakhstan in the first match of the group stage of the United Cup with a result of 2-1 after Pablo Carreño’s victory against Alexander Shevchenko in the men’s singles match (6-2, 6 -1), and the defeats of Jessica Bouzas against Elena Ribakina in the women’s singles (6-2, 6-3) and in the mixed doubles of Carreño and Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers against Shevchenko and Ribakina (7-6(4), (2)6-7, 10-7).
The start of the United Cup has not been the best for the Spanish team. The team led by Marc López began to advance in the tie thanks to the victory of Pablo Carreño, who overcame Alexander Shevchenko in two comfortable sets. However, the duel would be equal after the victory of the Kazakh Elena Ribakina, number six in the WTA ranking, over Jessica Bouzas. Thus, the match would be decided in the mixed doubles, in which Carreño and Cavalle-Reimers ended up falling in the ‘super tie break’ of the third set.
In this way, Spain makes it quite difficult to advance to the next round, to which only the first classified in each group can access. Now, Spain must beat Stefanos Tsipsipas’ Greece in its last game of the group stage and hope that the Greeks do the same against Kazakhstan on the last day.
The tie began with the duel between Pablo Carreño and Shevchenko, in which the Asturian did not give his opponent any type of option. Carreño was much superior to the Kazakh from the beginning of the match and imposed his rhythm and game from the rest, breaking three of the four serves that Shevchenko had in the first set, which he won 6-2. And the second would be simpler, in which the Spaniard only allowed his rival to add one game, closing the match with a 6-1 in one hour and four minutes of play.
After Carreño’s victory it was Jessica Bouzas’ turn. The Galician had the difficult task of facing the world number six, Elena Ribakina. And the Kazakh imposed her status as favorite from the first moment, winning the first set against a very erratic Bouzas with the serve – four double faults and three breaks against – 6-2. The second set was more even, in which Bouzas improved with the serve, but a break by Ribakina in the sixth game of the set was enough for her to take the set (6-3) and tie the duel 1-1.
Thus, everything was decided in the mixed doubles, in which Marc López chose to place Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers next to Pablo Carreño to face Shevchenko and Ribakina. A decisive duel that Spain did not start in the best way, falling in a tight first set in the tie break. But the Spanish couple would react and equalize the match and the tie in the second set, which was also won in the tiebreaker. But finally, Carreño and Cavalle-Reimers ended up losing in the ‘super tie break’ of the third by a result of 10-7.
The next meeting of the Spanish team will take place this Saturday morning. Spain will face one of the big favorites, the Greece of Stefanos Tsipsipas and Maria Sakkari starting at 10:00 in the morning. A duel in which the team led by Marc López only needs to win if they want to stay alive in the tournament.