SYDNEY, Australia -- Martina Trevisan upset Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-5, and Lorenzo Musetti easily handled business with a 6-1, 6-1 win against Stefanos Sakellaridis to give Italy a 2-0 lead over Greece in the United Cup semifinals.

Trevisan's 3-hour, 14-minute match was the longest of the tournament so far, while Musetti maintained his perfect record at the mixed-teams event (4-0) with a 6-1, 6-1 in 62 minutes. 

It was the third Top 10 win of Trevisan's career and the Roland Garros semifinalist's finest performance away from the terre battue. She had previously never defeated a Top 50 player off clay, nor had she taken a set from a Top 20 player.

The winner in this tie will face either the United States or Poland. After Day 1, the U.S., like Italy, holds a commanding 2-0 lead. 

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But the No.27-ranked Trevisan did have a win over Sakkari to draw on, a 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 triumph in the third round of Roland Garros 2020 in which she had saved two match points. 

No.6-ranked Sakkari scored the first break of the match, but her game was as inhibited as Trevisan's was free-flowing. From 2-0 down, the Italian surged through eight of the next nine games to lead by a set and a break, a passage of play characterised by fierce forehands and thrilling passing shots from Trevisan -- and ill-timed double faults and volley errors from Sakkari.

But Sakkari battled back in the second set after denying Trevisan a 3-0 lead with a booming return. Staying with her opponent in more high-octane rallies, Sakkari wrested the momentum and moved up to a 5-3 lead. Crucially, she didn't let her failure to serve out the set halt this, and a series of superb backhands saw her edge the ensuing tiebreak.

Fortune was with Trevisan in the decider when a dead net cord handed her the first break for 3-2. But so was her first-set form, and the 29-year-old dazzled the crowd with fine touch at net, delicate drop shots and that signature bold forehand.

Sakkari responded well, leveling at 4-4 with some more spectacular backhand angles. But Trevisan remained inspired to the end, pummeling her forehand to break again at 5-5 and then serving out the match at the first time of asking.

For Musetti, his strokes were heavier than the 803rd-ranked Sakellaridis, and he showed more consistency. That proved a winning formula for the Italian, who gave Matteo Berrettini a chance to close out the tie Saturday evening against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Lucia Bronzetti is scheduled to face Despina Papamichail in the No. 2 women's singles match.