Perth's RAC Arena witnessed a stunning United Cup upset on Saturday night as Argentina's Sebastian Baez fought back to defeat American world No.6 Taylor Fritz in a gripping three-set battle.
Underdog Triumphs in Gruelling Contest
In a match lasting over two and a half hours, the 39th-ranked Baez clawed his way to a memorable 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory. This win gave Argentina a crucial 1-0 lead over the United States in their Group A tie, continuing a tournament trend of surprise results.
Fritz, who has finished the last four seasons inside the world's top ten, started strongly. He capitalised on a string of unforced errors from Baez late in the first set to secure it 6-4. The American's powerful serve was a weapon, firing 23 aces to Baez's four.
Momentum Shifts as Frustration Grows
The second set saw Fritz break early with a superb lob to lead 2-0, seemingly taking control. However, Baez refused to fade. The Argentine broke back immediately, showcasing his resilience. At 3-3, he broke again with a vicious shot that clipped the net and looped deep, causing Fritz to send his return wildly out and flip his racquet away in clear frustration.
Although Fritz broke back when Baez served for the set at 5-4, the momentum had irrevocably shifted. Baez broke once more and then served out the set to love, sending the match into a decider and energising the Perth crowd.
Baez Seals Epic Win for Argentina
The final set was a tense affair on serve until Baez secured the critical break to lead 3-2 after surviving a tense deuce. He consolidated with a brilliant sliced backhand volley and a forehand winner. Serving for the match at 5-4, Baez saved a break point before clinching victory with an incredible rally and a cool volley at the net, bringing the house down.
The contrast in emotions was stark at the finish. A weary and frustrated Fritz smashed his racquet over his knee after surrendering match point, while the victorious Baez celebrated a well-earned triumph.
This result followed other notable upsets on the day, including Stan Wawrinka's win over Arthur Rinderknech and Maria Sakkari's defeat of Naomi Osaka on the opening night. For the USA, Fritz's unforced error count of 49 to Baez's 38 proved a decisive factor in his downfall.
