US defeats Czechia in dramatic United Cup semi as Reilly Opelka advances to Brisbane International final

We’ll going to call time on another massive day of tennis in Australia and New Zealand.

Thanks for your company and remember to join us on Sunday for the finals of the Brisbane International, United Cup and Auckland Open.

Have a great night and see you next time!

Reilly Opelka will play in Sunday’s final.(Getty Images)

It’s an inspiring story as Reilly Opelka advances to the final in Brisbane.

Opelka’s history of injuries is well-documented and he has achieved a key milestone by reaching an ATP Tour final while on the comeback trail.

In a battle of the big servers, the lanky American beat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in the semis.

Opelka did need treatment on his right wrist during the match, but hopefully this won’t be a concern in Sunday’s final against Jiří Lehečka.

Reilly Opelka and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard will duke it out in a tie-break to decide who wins the second set.

For the moment, it seems Reilly Opelka will continue on in his semifinal against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, despite his wrist concern.

Games are on serve in the second set, with Mpetshi Perricard leading 5-4.

Reilly Opelka is a set up in his semifinal.(Getty Images)

Reilly Opelka has won the first set 6-3 against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

The American received more physio treatment on his right wrist at the change of ends but has given no indication he will retire.

Reilly Opelka needed treatment after feeling discomfort.(Getty Images)

Reilly Opelka has received on-court treatment from the tournament phyiso for what appears to be a right wrist concern.

This is worrying, as Opelka has had multiple wrist injuries that threatened to end his career.

A medical timeout was called and Opelka returned to the court.

Let’s hope this isn’t as serious as it appears to be.

Opelka is leading Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 5-2 in the first set.

An early service break has given Reilly Opelka a 3-0 lead in the opening set against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

The towering American — standing at 211cm — broke the rising French star in the second game.

Right … we’re trying to unpack what just happened in Sydney.

Meanwhile, Reilly Opelka — 24 hours after beating Novak Djokovic — is playing Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the Brisbane International semifinals.

The players are on the court warming up and we’ll update you throughout the match.

(Getty Images)

I don’t think I was the only person shocked at last night’s singles result in the men’s draw, when Reilly Opelka scored a stunning upset win over Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic didn’t do much wrong in truth, but he was blown away by the power and angles created by the largest man I’ve ever seen on a tennis court.

If you wanted to see what impact Djokovic had on Opelka during his lengthy injury breaks over the past couple of years, which is why his ranking of 293 is a real false position, read this.

Tomáš Macháč (right) informs Taylor Fritz he is withdrawing.(Getty Images)

Drama at Ken Rosewall Arena, with Czechia’s Tomáš Macháč suddenly retiring during his singles rubber against Taylor Fritz of the US.

With Fritz to serve for the second set at 6-5, Macháč abruptly indicated to the chair umpire he was withdrawing while pointing to his upper right leg.

In his on-court interview, Fritz said Macháč told him he was cramping.

Only minutes earlier, Macháč was berating himself and his team captain Daniel Vacek after he coughed up a 5-2 lead and multiple match points in the second set.

Macháč (right) was in a heated exchange with Czechia captain Daniel Vacek.(AAP)

Having won the first set in a tie-break (7-4), Macháč had two match points on Fritz’s serve in the eighth game of the second.

Fritz held and eventually won four straight games.

The win gave the US an unassailable 2-0 advantage in the semifinal.

Earlier, Coco Gauff defeated Karolína Muchová 6-1, 6-4 to give the US a 1-0 lead.

The US will play Poland in Sunday’s final.

Aryna Sabalenka has advanced to Sunday’s final.(AAP)

Aryna Sabalenka moves on to the final after a straight-sets victory over Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.

Sabalenka won 6-3, 6-2 and will play Polina Kudermetova in Sunday’s final.

Eighth-seeded Andreeva may not have won a set against Sabalenka, but she did trouble the world number one.

She had eight break points during the match, however was unable to convert on any of them.

The 17-year-old has a bright future and she’ll be one to watch at the Australian Open when it begins in just over a week’s time.

Aryna Sabalenka’s experience is shining through as she gains a double break on Mirra Andreeva’s serve.

The US Open champion will serve for the match at 5-2 in the second set.

Aryna Sabalenka enjoys some breathing space in the second set of her semifinal against Mirra Andreeva.

The two-time defending Australian Open champion broke her opponent in the third game to lead 2-1.

A spot in the final against Polina Kudermetova is up for grabs in this evening’s match.

Czechia’s Tomáš Macháč is a set up against American Taylor Fritz in the second singles match in the United Cup semifinal in Sydney.

Macháč won a tie-break (7-4) in the first set to give himself an excellent chance of levelling the tie at 1-1.

Coco Gauff had earlier defeated Karolína Muchová 6-1, 6-4 in the opening singles rubber.

Aryan Sabalenka has the upper hand after winning the opening set.(Getty Images)

Aryna Sabalenka claims the first set against Mirra Andreeva, winning 6-3 after 52 minutes on court.

Andreeva showed her fighting qualities to save two set points in the ninth game.

She even had a break point to put the set back on serve.

The weather conditions are steamy inside Pat Rafter Arena, with Sabalenka opting to rub an ice pack over head during the change of ends.

Aryna Sabalenka gets a service break in the eighth game.

She had two break points in her possession but only needed one to claim a 5-3 lead over Mirra Andreeva.

An absorbing seventh game of the opening set, with Aryna Sabalenka holding to lead 4-3.

It was not without drama, as Mirra Andreeva snared a break point before Sabalenka eventually held.

Some of the rallies between these two have been extraordinary so far, with both producing punishing groundstrokes.

Aryna Sabalenka struggled to win her opening service game.(AAP)

We mentioned Mirra Andreeva would be a stiff challenge for Aryna Sabalenka to overcome and she’s already proved that’s the case.

The young Russian put Sabalenka’s serve under immediate pressure, earning three break points in the opening game of the match.

Sabalenka saved each to hold, but the early signs are clear Andreeva is not intimidated by the world number one.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka is yet to drop a set in Brisbane, but she faces a stern test against Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.

At 17, Andreeva has already reached the semifinals of a major following an inspired run at last year’s French Open.

She is ranked at a career-high 16 and is seeded eighth in Brisbane.

This promises to be an intriguing match-up.

Coc Gauff has put the US on top.(Getty Images)

Coco Gauff has completed her assignment by winning the opening singles rubber in the United Cup semis.

Gauff defeated Karolína Muchová 6-1, 6-4 to give the US a 1-0 lead over Czechia at Ken Rosewall Arena.

Service breaks were traded late in the second set, but Gauff already had one up her sleeve.

Taylor Fritz is up next against Tomáš Macháč.