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But Maria Lourdes Carle: Alex de Minaur maintained his success rate at the United Cup to give Australia the lead in their opening match but his effort went in vain as Argentina stunned the hosts 2-1 in the mixed-gender team competition here on Saturday and dent their chances of winning their maiden title in the event.

Nadia Podoroska, the 2020 Roland Garros semifinalist, had fought through her season opener in the first match of the tie to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. Podoroska earned a tidy 6-2, 6-4 win over Olivia Gadecki. De Minaur defeated Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-1, 6-4 to level his country's tie with Argentina at 1-1 and forced the deciding mixed doubles clash in a Group F clash.

De Minaur produced a nearly flawless performance to force a deciding mixed doubles clash in front of a raucous crowd. But Maria Lourdes Carle and Tomas Martin Etcheverry responded well, beating doubles standouts Matthew Ebden and Ellen Perez 6-2, 6-4 to seal their country's victory and leave the Australian crowd and dent the home side's chances of lifting its first trophy at the mixed-teams event.