Djokovic leads Serbia to 2-1 victory over China; Swiatek’s Poland in QFs

Novak Djokovic

Making a triumphant return to Perth after a decade, Novak Djokovic led Serbia to a 2-1 win over China at the United Cup.

Djokovic, playing in the western Australia city for the first time since the 2013 Hopman Cup, beat Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 6-2 and then teamed up with Olga Danilovic to clinch the decisive mixed doubles 6-4, 1-6, 10-6 against Zheng Quinwen and Zhang in the Group E match.

Zheng, who beat reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in her opening United Cup match, had levelled the match 1-1 when she outplayed Danilovic 6-4, 6-2.

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Djokovic needed just 74 minutes to beat Zhang as he converted three of the seven break points.

"It's great to be back in Perth," Djokovic said afterward.

Meanwhile, an irrepressible Iga Swiatek unleashed on Spain as Poland booked a 2-1 win to move into the quarter-finals of the United Cup. The World No. 1 showed no mercy to Sara Sorribes Tormo in a 6-2, 6-1 singles victory before teaming with Hubert Hurkacz to clinch the tie with a 6-0, 6-0 mixed doubles thrashing in just 53 minutes.

Hurkacz was ambushed in the day's opening singles, losing 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The top-seeded Poles finished Group A play with a perfect 2-0 record and await a last-eight opponent.

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