Greece defeated the USA 2-1 to score their first win at this year’s Hopman Cup, bouncing back after a loss against Great Britain to stay in contention for the place in the final.

In the first match of the day, Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 in the battle of the best players born in 1998 to deliver the opening point for Greece. The match lasted two hours and 15 minutes and it was Tsitsipas who played better on his second serve, saving three out of four break points and keeping the pressure on Frances all the time after creating 12 break chances.

‘Team Greece’ duo Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari. Photos: AAP/Tony McDonough

Tsitsipas repelled them all with winners and the match was in his hands after a great backhand cross court winner at 5-3 that pushed Greece in front before the women’s singles match. There, Serena Williams took down Maria Sakkari 7-6, 6-2 in an hour and 44 minutes after trailing 5-3 in the opening set, leveling the overall score to 1-1 before the deciding mixed doubles match. Serena fired 13 aces and she kept things under control in her games after that break she suffered, saving four out of five break points to keep the pressure on Maria who couldn’t deal with it once she lost her lead.

In the mixed doubles match, Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Serena Williams and Frances Tiafoe 4-1, 1-4, 4-2 in 53 minutes to score their first win at this year’s Hopman Cup. The Greeks broke both Serena and Frances in the opening set but the Americans broke Sakkari in the fourth game of the second set to move 3-1 up, closing the set with a good hold from Tiafoe to set up the decider.

There, both teams served well until the sixth game when Tiafoe lost his serve after a backhand winner from Sakkari who clinched the tie for Greece, starting a huge celebration with Stefanos and their team. Greece vs USA 2-1