United Cup: Tsitsipas/Sakkari win mixed doubles to lead Greece to win over Spain

Greece will play Kazakhstan on Monday to determine who tops Group C while Spain are knocked out of the competition

Sakkari and Tsitsipas in Hopman Cup 2018

29th December 2018, RAC Arena, Perth, Australia; Hopman Cup Tennis, sponsored by Mastercard; Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Team Greece come together during the mixed doubles against Team Great Britain (Action Plus/Panoramic)

Haresh Ramchandani

December 29, 2024

Greece started their United Cup 2025 campaign on a winning note as Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari won the deciding mixed doubles contest to give their nation a 2-1 win over Spain in Group C action.

Spain, who also lost their first tie of the competition to Kazakhstan on Friday, started on a strong note as world No 54 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro upset 32nd-ranked Sakkari 6-2, 6-1 in one hour and 12 minutes.

This was Sakkari’s first match since the US Open in August as she shut her season down early due to a shoulder injury.

“I’m super super happy with my performance today,” Bouzas Maneiro said after her win. “Yesterday was tough for me, the first match, but I felt really well today.”

Tsitsipas got the Greeks back into the contest with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Pablo Carreno Busta to level the scores at 1-1 and push the tie into the deciding mixed doubles rubber.

That’s where the experience of Tsitsipas and Sakkari came through as they defeated Sergio Martos Gornes and Yvonne Cavalle Reimers 4-6, 6-3, 10-6 to win the tie 2-1. With two losses in two ties, Spain are now out of contention for a semi-final berth.

“We came clutch when we had to; that tie-break was very good from our side,” Sakkari said after the mixed doubles win. “It’s always amazing to play alongside Stefanos and create good moments on the court.”

“There isn’t a single Greek night without some drama. I’m super grateful that I have a fighter like Maria beside me. She never disappoints, she delivered until the end,” Tsitsipas said echoing his countrywoman’s sentiments.

Greece will next face Kazakhstan on Monday with the winner of that tie moving to the top of Group C.