Novak Djokovic overcame a right wrist issue to defeat the Czech Republic's Jiri Lehecka 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-1 and likely send Serbia through to the United Cup mixed team quarterfinals.
The No. 1-ranked Djokovic and defending Australian Open champion was troubled by his wrist during practice on Tuesday morning, with the injury requiring intense treatment from his physio.
Djokovic was cleared to play his singles match and it was just as well after Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova defeated Olga Danilovic 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to give the Czechs a 1-0 lead.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner was on track for an easy victory against Lehecka after winning the first set and leading 3-1 in the second. But with his wrist troubles growing as the match wore on, Djokovic started making a series of uncharacteristic unforced errors.
Djokovic took a medical timeout after losing the second-set tiebreaker, but he came out strongly with a double break in the third set to seal victory.
“I managed to play through,” Djokovic said of his injury. “It’s not the first time or the last time, these things happen. You have to find a solution and thankfully I managed to finish the match and let’s see what happens now.”
Officials first said Serbia’s quarterfinal spot was guaranteed, but confusion reigned after the match as to whether Serbia had already done enough to qualify.
The initial declaration was even if Serbia would go on to lose the mixed doubles and therefore the tie, it would qualify for the quarterfinals as the best second-place team in Perth.
But organizers later clarified if Serbia loses the mixed doubles in straight sets, the team is out. If Serbia loses in three sets, then it will come down to a games-won percentage.
At Sydney in the first of two ties on Tuesday, Chile defeated Greece in the mixed doubles to claim a 2-1 win.
Stefanos Tsitsipas — runner-up at last year’s Australian Open — was scheduled to face Chile’s Nicolas Jarry in the men’s singles match but pulled at the last minute with a back injury. He was replaced by 19-year-old Stefanos Sakellaridis, who lost to Jarry 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to level the tie.
But Chile won the mixed doubles in three sets to move into first place in its group ahead of Canada, which plays its final group game on Wednesday against Greece. Tsitsipas and Sakkarri lost 6-7 (5), 6-3, 10-6 to Daniela Seguel and Tomas Barrios Vera.
Greece needs to beat Canada to have any hope of advancing to Thursday's quarterfinals in Sydney.
Maria Sakkari had given Greece a 1-0 lead with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Seguel. Sakkari took just 26 minutes to wrap up the first set in the morning session at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena.
“I don’t feel match sharp but I feel good,” Sakkari said. “I’m very happy to have given my team the first point and I have full belief in the team so I’m super excited for what’s coming.”
Netherlands, 1-0, was scheduled to play Croatia, 0-1, in the late match in Sydney.
