Sydney, 06 January (H.S.): Elise Mertens delivered a commanding performance on Tuesday, defeating Victoria Mboko 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a match that lasted two hours and five minutes, securing Belgium’s victory over Canada in the United Cup tennis tournament.

Despite the win, Belgium’s progression to the knockout stage now hinges on the outcome of the mixed doubles clash, as a clean sweep is required for automatic qualification.

Earlier in the day, Jil Teichmann stunned world No. 5 Felix Auger-Aliassime with a 6-4, 6-2 win, bringing Belgium tantalizingly close to the quarterfinals. However, if Canada wins the mixed doubles, they will advance instead, setting up a dramatic finale to the group stage.

Mertens’ Powerful Serve Proves Decisive

Mertens dominated the opening set with her aggressive serving, holding her first four service games without dropping a single point and breaking Mboko’s serve in the sixth game to establish an early lead. Although Mboko mounted a spirited comeback in the second set, Mertens regained control in the decider.

Despite trailing 0-30 in the fourth game, Mertens managed to break back and maintain her advantage until the end. According to WTA statistics, Mertens won 93% of points on her first serve, a key factor in her victory.Teichmann Stuns Auger-Aliassime in UpsetIn the men’s singles, Teichmann produced a remarkable upset, defeating Auger-Aliassime in 1 hour and 28 minutes.

This marks Teichmann’s second career victory over a top-10 player, having previously beaten then-world No. 9 Andrey Rublev in Miami ten months ago. After the match, Teichmann remarked, “I had forgotten this was my second top-10 win. It’s a big deal, especially given the way I played. In this format, we still have more matches to win, so my focus was purely on getting the job done.”

Auger-Aliassime Fails to Replicate Form

Despite enjoying his best season in 2025, reaching the US Open semifinals and playing in the Nitto ATP Finals, Auger-Aliassime struggled to find his rhythm against Teichmann. The Belgian saved all five break points that came her way, highlighting her composure under pressure.

The group winner and the team that advances to the quarterfinals will now be decided by the mixed doubles match, with all eyes on the upcoming showdown.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar