Spain, without Carlos Alcaraz, eliminated from United Cup

Spain fell to 0-2 in group play at the United Cup in Perth, Australia, and was eliminated from the mixed-team competition on Saturday.

Jessica Bouzas Maneiro defeated Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-1 to give Spain a 1-0 lead, but Stefanos Tsitsipas evened the score with his 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Pablo Carreno Busta in Group C play.

That sent the match pitting 14th-seeded Spain and third-seeded Greece to a mixed-doubles, winner-take-all match, with the Greek duo prevailing over Sergio Martos Gornes and Yvonne Cavalle Reimers 4-6, 6-3, 10-6. Spain lost to Kazakhstan on the first day of the tournament, in which 18 teams are divided into six three-country groups.

Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz is not playing in the event amid preparations for the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 12.

In opening action in Group F, played in Sydney, 17th-seeded Argentina upset Australia, the 12th seed, 2-1. Alex de Minaur got the Aussies off to a quick start with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry, but Argentina's Nadia Podoroska bested Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 6-4.

Etcheverry and Maria Lourdes Carle pulled off a 6-2, 6-4 win over Matthew Ebden and Ellen Perez to send Argentina to 1-0 in group play.

And in debut action in Group A, also played in Perth, Croatia - the 18th seed - pushed seventh-seeded Canada as Borna Coric topped Felix Auger-Aliassime 0-6, 6-4, 6-4. But Leylah Fernandez defeated Donna Vekic 6-4, 6-4 to tie the match, then teamed with Auger-Aliassime to defeat Lucija Ciric Bagaric and Ivan Dodig 6-3, 6-4.

The Canadians are scheduled to face the top-seeded United States duo of Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff on Sunday.

--Field Level Media