Serbia opened its United Cup campaign with a 2-1 win over China in Perth on Sunday. The win moved Serbia to 1-0 in Group E and dropped China to 1-1.

No.15 Zheng Qinwen improved to 2-0 on the new season after defeating No.119 Olga Danilovic 6-4, 6-2 in the second rubber. The victory sent the Group E tie between China and Serbia into a deciding mixed doubles rubber, where Novak Djokovic and Danilovic prevailed 6-4, 1-6, [10-6] just before the clocks struck midnight to usher in the new year.

“This was on my No. 1 bucket list, to play with Novak and to win. I’m so happy,” Danilovic said on court. “Thanks to everyone for staying and being with us here on New Year’s Eve. This was an incredible match. I know I gave my all and I’m so happy to finish 2023 like this.”

Watch: Zheng's forehand drive knocks Djokovic to the ground in mixed doubles

After the ATP World No.1 opened the tie with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Zhang Zhizhen, Zheng was faced with a must-win match against Danilovic. Coming off a three-set win over reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in her opener, Zheng kept her cool to keep the feisty 22-year-old Serb at bay.

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Bidding to tally her third career Top 20 victory, Danilovic jumped out to a 2-0 lead and found herself a point away from a 3-0 lead early in the first set. Zheng stormed back to take the next four games with the aid of a flurry of forehand winners.

The Chinese star appeared to have wrenched the momentum back for good, but Danilovic kept the pressure on. With Zheng serving for the opening set at 5-4, Danilovic earned two chances to level the set. Zheng responded with steely resolve, wiping away Danilovic's chances and coming through an 11-minute game to take the 61-minute set with a leaping backhand winner.

Zheng rode out her momentum to a 4-0 lead in the second set and closed out the win with her eighth ace of the match after 1 hour and 37 minutes.

Bidding to advance to the quarterfinals in their tournament debut, China will now await the result of the group's final tie between Serbia and the Czech Republic on Tuesday. The winner of each of the six groups will advance to the quarterfinals, with one additional spot in each city awarded to the best runner-up in that city. 

A country’s position within its group is determined by number of ties won and ties played. If two teams are tied,  the group order is determined by (in order of priority): the most match wins (singles and doubles), then the highest percentage of matches won, then percentage of sets and then games won.