United Cup 2026: Bouzas Maneiro Stuns Gauff As Spain Take Early Control

Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro produced the biggest upset of the United Cup 2026 group stage so far, dismantling world No. 4 Coco Gauff in a dramatic three-set battle. The result handed Spain a 1-0 lead over defending champions United States in their Group A tie in Perth on Monday.

Ranked No. 42, Bouzas Maneiro capitalised on a flat start from Gauff and rode strong crowd support to register a 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-0 victory in the women’s singles, setting the tone ahead of the men’s singles and mixed doubles rubbers.

Slow Start Proves Costly For Gauff

Gauff never fully recovered from a disastrous opening stretch, losing the first five games of the match as Bouzas Maneiro played with freedom from the baseline. The Spaniard dictated early rallies, breaking repeatedly as the American struggled to settle into her rhythm.

Although Gauff eventually stemmed the bleeding in the first set, Bouzas Maneiro closed it out emphatically at 6-1, taking advantage of unforced errors and hesitant shot selection from the two-time Grand Slam champion.

The match unfolded amid significant off-court controversy. Gauff had to post a clarifying message on social media shortly before stepping on court, addressing her recent remarks about American tennis fans being the “worst”.

Bouzas Maneiro Finishes Strong

The second set saw a shift in momentum as Gauff raised her intensity, cleaned up her groundstrokes, and forced Bouzas Maneiro into longer exchanges. The American edged the tiebreak 7-3, briefly reviving hopes of a turnaround after levelling the match at one set apiece.

Any momentum, however, evaporated quickly. Bouzas Maneiro reset immediately in the decider, breaking early and often as Gauff’s resistance faded. The Spaniard stormed through the final set 6-0, sealing one of the most significant wins of her career in just under two hours.

Spanish Crowd Lifts Bouzas Maneiro

Bouzas Maneiro later acknowledged the impact of the crowd in Perth, where Spanish flags were visible throughout the stands.

“Thank you for the atmosphere. It was amazing,” she said in her on-court television interview. “I just felt the support. I saw flags, Spain, Spanish flags there. Thank you so much.”

For Gauff, the defeat marked a sharp contrast to her United Cup opener on Saturday, where she cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Solana Sierra, helping the United States defeat Argentina.

(With AP Inputs)