Alex de Minaur keeps Australia alive in winner-take-all Fed Cup tie ATP Tour
federation cup
De Minaur keeps Australia alive in winner-take-all Fed Cup tie
The winner of the mixed doubles rubber match will win Group D and advance to QF
January 6, 2026
Tennis Australia
Alex de Minaur defeated Jakub Mensik in straight sets in Sydney on Tuesday.
Author: ATP/WTA Staff
Alex de Minaur once again carried the load in green and gold with distinction as Australia held out a winner-take-all draw against the Czech Republic 1-1 in a Fed Cup tie in Sydney on Tuesday night.
The 26-year-old produced a composed performance in a lively atmosphere at Ken Rosewall Arena to beat Jakub Mensik 6-4, 6-1 in 91 minutes. Two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova previously defeated Maya United in straight sets and the match will now be decided in mixed doubles, with the winner finishing first in Group D and advancing to the quarter-finals.
“I didn’t start the year the way I wanted to,” said De Minaur, who lost his first group match to Casper Ruud. “But the things I’ve done really well in my career are bouncing back, so I’m glad I bounced back today.”
Mensik showed his talent early in the second set, especially with his bold front-row volley after a fierce serve. But De Minaur remained indomitable, saving all four break points he faced in the Lexus ATP Head2Head Series and improving his record against the Czech to 5-0.
Stop it now Jakub đŽâđ¨ pic.twitter.com/my03sGnbS5
â United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 6, 2026
In women’s singles, Krejcikova continued her strong start to the 2026 season, defeating United 6-4, 6-1, giving the Czech team an early lead.
The 30-year-old, ranked 63rd in the WTA rankings after missing the first five months of the 2025 season, went 4-1 against Australia’s top-ranked player, who missed the opening match in Australia due to illness. Although United narrowed the gap to 4-3, Krejcikova held her ground and won the first set 6-4 and the second set.
“I’m very happy with my performance,” Krejcikova said. “I was happy with the way I played from start to finish. I also had a lot of support. The first set was a little up and down, but I’m happy to get through it. I tried to be aggressive from the beginning and I’m happy to be able to play some games. I felt a lot better on the court today.”
