Kazakhstan is into the United Cup semifinals for the first time. Elena Rybakina and Alexander Shevchenko notched singles victories at RAC Arena in Perth on New Year’s Day, winning their quarterfinal tie 2-0 over defending champion Germany.

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Rybakina started the day with a powerful 6-3, 6-1 victory over Germany’s Laura Siegemund in the first match of the tournament’s knockout stages. World No.6 Rybakina took 65 minutes to defeat 80th-ranked Siegemund.

“Feeling better on the court and physically also," Rybakina said afterwards. "It was a long trip. It’s not easy at the beginning but really happy with the performance and really looking forward to the next match.”

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Former Top 5 doubles player Siegemund is typically sturdy with her all-court craft, but she misfired on a drop shot to hand Rybakina the only break of Wednesday’s first set at 4-2. Rybakina took that opportunity and ran with it, clinching the one-set lead without facing a break point.

In the second set, Rybakina rushed ahead with an early break for 2-1, then withstood two break points in the following game to consolidate. 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina eased home from there, and she now holds a commanding 6-1 head-to-head lead over tour veteran Siegemund.

Second in total aces on tour last year (trailing only Zheng Qinwen), Rybakina fired six aces versus Siegemund on Wednesday. Rybakina won 79 percent of her first-serve points and 67 percent of her second-serve points in the clash.

“All the guys are pretty funny and it’s nice to play a team competition," Rybakina said. "It’s so rare that we get a chance to do that. I’m so happy to be here and also the first time in Perth. I really like everything.”

In the second match, Shevchenko secured Kazakhstan’s spot in the semifinals. The 24-year-old rallied to defeat Daniel Masur 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-2 in a physical battle, moving Kazakhstan to an unassailable 2-0 lead in the quarterfinal tie.

Masur had come in to replace World No.2 Alexander Zverev, who withdrew due to a bicep strain, but was unable to forge a memorable upset to keep Germany alive. 

“It was a struggle in this heat, he made me run a lot, he was more aggressive,” Shevchenko said after the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. “That’s why I got tired, my head was spinning. 

“I’m really proud that I found this win for our team, because I was fighting hard. I saw the faces of my team, and they didn’t want to go to a decider. I was also a little bit nervous, because I knew if I won, the tie was over.”

Shevchenko’s backhand was key to his earlier upset of World No.11 Stefanos Tsitsipas on Monday, but it deserted him just when he needed it in the first set. Having carved out a set point at 6-5, the 24-year-old blazed a backhand long from Masur’s second serve. Shevchenko was then left to rue the missed opportunity once Masur converted his first set point in the tiebreak. 

Masur dragged Shevchenko into a physical battle in the first set, coupling looping forehands with crafty slices to lengthen the points. The grueling nature of the contest appeared to have affected the Kazakhstani, who called for the physio after immediately breaking Masur’s serve in the second set. Yet Shevchenko drastically reduced his unforced error count from 20 in the first set, to 10 in the second and third, to complete an impressive comeback.