At the season-opening competition in Perth, Australia, Elena Rybakina made her United Cup debut by assisting Kazakhstan in defeating Spain 2-1.
Pablo Carreno Busta overcame Alexander Shevchenko 6-2 6-1 to give Spain the lead, and the 25-year-old, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, then defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2 6-3 to tie the match.
Then in the mixed doubles, Rybakina, the sixth-ranked player in the world, teamed up with Shevchenko to defeat Carreno Busta and Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (2-7) 10-7.
Great Britain will play Argentina on Monday to start their campaign, and then they will play Australia on Wednesday.
If Kazakhstan wins their second Group C game on Monday, they advance to the 18-nation mixed teams tournament’s quarterfinals.
Rybakina, playing for the first time since beginning work with fellow former Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic as her new coach, said: “The first match is always difficult.
“It’s not easy to get used [to it] that quick but I’m pretty happy with the way I played today.”
Perth and Sydney will host games in the third edition of the United Cup until January 5, 2025.
British women’s number one Katie Boulter will play her fiancé Alex de Minaur in GB’s group match against Australia. Earlier this week, the pair declared their engagement.
On Sunday, January 12, the Australian Open, the season’s first Grand Slam, gets underway.
