World No. 15 Beatriz Haddad Maia improved her United Cup record to 2-0 after defeating Malene Helgo of Norway 6-4, 6-2 on Day 3 in Brisbane. The victory kicked off Brazil's tie with Norway, giving the Brazilians a lead, which World No. 166 Felipe Meligeni Alves later extended to 2-0.
Haddad Maia has enjoyed a dominant start to her season, having lost just two games to Martina Trevisan of Italy on Day 1.
"I entered the court trying to improve my game, to do better things than I couldn't do two days before," Haddad Maia said. "I was trying to be as aggressive as I could. I was happy that I was patient and giving myself chances one more time, even if I was missing. I was happy with the way I was thinking in this match."
Read Feature: Team Brazil Pays Tribute To Pele
The most improved player of 2022, the 26-year-old out-matched her 319th-ranked opponent with a suffocating display from the baseline. The 23-year-old from Norway was making her Hologic WTA Tour debut, having never faced a player ranked inside the Top 90 before today.
On a rock-solid serving day, Haddad Maia did not face a break point while generating 11 chances of her own, breaking three times. She lost just 12 points on her serve in the tidy 91-minute match.
Meligeni Alves picked up where his countrywoman left off with a 6-3, 6-3 win against World No. 343 Viktor Durasovic in the No. 2 men's singles match.
The Brazilian bounced back from his opening loss against Italian Lorenzo Musetti at the new mixed-teams event. Meligeni Alves proved to have more firepower, using his forehand to great effect in the critical moments of the one-hour, 28-minute encounter.
The 24-year-old, the nephew of former World No. 25 Fernando Meligeni, saved the only break point he faced and earned the decisive break in the second set with a sizzling forehand passing shot. Thiago Monteiro will now have an opportunity to close out the tie for the Brazilians in the No. 1 men's singles match Sunday against World No. 3 Casper Ruud.
Haddad Maia has enjoyed a dominant start to her season, having lost just two games to Martina Trevisan of Italy on Day 1.
"I entered the court trying to improve my game, to do better things than I couldn't do two days before," Haddad Maia said. "I was trying to be as aggressive as I could. I was happy that I was patient and giving myself chances one more time, even if I was missing. I was happy with the way I was thinking in this match."
Read Feature: Team Brazil Pays Tribute To Pele
The most improved player of 2022, the 26-year-old out-matched her 319th-ranked opponent with a suffocating display from the baseline. The 23-year-old from Norway was making her Hologic WTA Tour debut, having never faced a player ranked inside the Top 90 before today.
On a rock-solid serving day, Haddad Maia did not face a break point while generating 11 chances of her own, breaking three times. She lost just 12 points on her serve in the tidy 91-minute match.
Meligeni Alves picked up where his countrywoman left off with a 6-3, 6-3 win against World No. 343 Viktor Durasovic in the No. 2 men's singles match.
The Brazilian bounced back from his opening loss against Italian Lorenzo Musetti at the new mixed-teams event. Meligeni Alves proved to have more firepower, using his forehand to great effect in the critical moments of the one-hour, 28-minute encounter.
The 24-year-old, the nephew of former World No. 25 Fernando Meligeni, saved the only break point he faced and earned the decisive break in the second set with a sizzling forehand passing shot. Thiago Monteiro will now have an opportunity to close out the tie for the Brazilians in the No. 1 men's singles match Sunday against World No. 3 Casper Ruud.