US win over Canada, Russia beat France

Sydney: The United States beat Canada and defending champion Russia defeated France at the ATP Cup on Sunday, with the the Americans taking a much easier route.

John Isner and Taylor Fritz beat their Canadian singles opponents and then clinched the match in doubles for a 3-0 win.

Isner beat Brayden Schnur 6-1, 6-4 in 66 minutes to give the Americans the early lead.

Schnur was a late replacement for Denis Shapovalov, who withdrew from the opening singles match Sunday due to fatigue. The Canadian is recovering from having contracted COVID-19 at a recent tournament in the Middle East.

Fritz then came from a set down to beat No. 11-ranked Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-4 and clinch the match before the Americans won the doubles 6-4, 6-4 over Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov.

Russia, meanwhile, needed the deciding doubles match to clinch victory over France.

Roman Safiullin beat Arthur Rinderknech of France 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 before No. 35-ranked Ugo Humbert evened the match for France with an upset 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (2) win over No. 2 Daniil Medvedev. But Medvedev and Safiullin came back to beat two fresh opponents in the doubles Fabrice Martin and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 6-4.

In night matches, Britain and Italy took early leads. Daniel Evans beat Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1, 6-2 while Italy's Jannik Sinner defeated Australia's Max Purcell 6-1, 6-3 in opening singles.

Isner saved the only break point he faced against his Canadian opponent.

"I surprised myself with how well I played out here, Isner said in his on-court

interview.