2nd January

Hello everybody and welcome back to Talkn Tennis —I’m your host Chris who will be bringing you Day 2’s preview of the United cup. If this is your first time here, congratulations, you’ve already made a better decision than most tennis media this time of year.

For the regulars, you know the drill: proper tennis chat, informed opinions, and zero interest in playing it safe. For the newcomers, this is where we break things down without the bullshit — we look at who’s actually in form, where the pressure sits, and what to watch before the matches even start.

Today’s episode continues our United Cup daily coverage, focusing on Day Two — team construction, strengths and weak links, and the context that actually matters. Before we dig in we will look at some of the matches that have been completed.

Host (Chris): "Alright, let's talk about the opening session in Perth, and man, it was a literal furnace out there. 36 degrees on the court, the ball was flying like a projectile, and we had a classic baseline war between Sebastian Baez and Jaume Munar.

Now, I'll be the first to admit—I had confidence in the Argentine to maybe snag a set, but I didn't think he’d take Munar out in straight sets on a hard court. But the 170cm powerhouse proved me wrong. He played absolutely fabulous tennis.

If you look at the stat sheet, there wasn't much daylight between them, but this was a match decided by the 'big points.' We saw so many games go to Deuce, and that’s where Baez really showed his teeth. His composure was rock solid.

Tactically, he was solid out there. He stayed patient in the long rallies, but he was intentionally pulling Munar out of his comfort zone. He kept directing these short, wide groundstrokes to Munar’s forehand, opening up the court and then—this was the clincher—he actually came to the net to finish. You don't always see that kind of transition from Baez, but he showed incredible hands at the net to close out those points.

Munar fought, but Baez just had that extra gear of confidence today. Argentina takes a 1-0 lead, and Baez looks like he’s ready for a big summer."

Score: 6-4, 5-7, 6-0

Host (Chris): "If you want to talk about mental toughness and the absolute chaos of tennis momentum, look no further than the clash between Solana Sierra and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Sierra walked away with the win, but man, did she take the scenic route to get there. The first two sets were a total dogfight. We saw massive momentum shifts where neither player seemed to want to keep a lead. Sierra actually looked like she had this wrapped up in straight sets—she was up 5-2 in the second and cruising.

But then, the wheels hit a bit of a wobble. Bouzas Maneiro showed that Spanish grit we always talk about; she clawed her way back from the brink, rattled off five straight games, and snatched that second set 7-5. At that point, you’re thinking Sierra is mentally cooked. She had the match in her hands and let it slip.

But then... the third set happened. And it wasn't just a win; it was a demolition.

Whatever happened in that break between sets, Sierra wiped the slate clean. She came out and handed Bouzas Maneiro a 'hidden bagel'—6-0 in the third. Sierra’s power from the baseline just became too much. She stopped the unforced errors that let the Spaniard back in during the second, and she absolutely bullied her way to the finish line.

The stats show a story of two halves: a messy, nervous battle for the first two hours, followed by a total clinical takeover by the Argentine in the third. It’s a massive result