Poland through to United Cup semi-finals

PERTH : Poland beat China 2-0 to reach the semi-finals of the United Cup mixed team tournament on Wednesday after Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek cruised through their singles matches in Perth.

The top-seeded nation among the 18 that entered the $10 million event got off to a blazing start with big-hitting Hurkacz easing past Zhang Zhizhen 6-3 6-4.

Swiatek then fought back from 2-0 down in the first set to beat Zheng Qinwen 6-2 6-3 and make it three successive singles victories in the event which the world number one is using to prepare for this month's Australian Open.

Poland will now travel to Sydney to play in the semi-finals, where they will be joined by Serbia or Australia, who meet in the day's other quarter-final clash in Perth.

World number one Novak Djokovic, who was hampered by a wrist issue during Serbia's win over Czech Republic on Tuesday, is set to face Alex de Minaur in the singles opener.

Caroline Garcia and Adrian Mannarino guided France into the quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Italy. World number 20 Garcia beat Jasmine Paolini 6-4 5-7 6-4 after Mannarino beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-4 6-4 in the Group D tie.

Later on Wednesday, Greece meet Canada in Group B with Australian Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas scheduled to play his first singles match of the season.

The Australian Open runs from on Jan. 14-28.