Elena Rybakina marked her United Cup debut by helping Kazakhstan to a 2-1 victory over Spain in the season-opening tournament in Perth, Australia.
The 25-year-old, who is the 2022 Wimbledon champion, beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2, 6-3 to equalize after Pablo Carreno Busta beat Alexander Shevchenko 6-2, 6-1 to put Spain ahead.
Rybakina, ranked sixth in the world, then partnered Shevchenko to claim a 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (2-7) 10-7 win against Carreno Busta and Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers in the mixed doubles.
Great Britain will begin their campaign against Argentina on Monday, before facing Australia on Wednesday.
Kazakhstan will qualify for the quarter-finals of the 18-nation mixed team event if they beat Greece in their second Group C match on Monday.
Rybakina, playing for the first time since starting work with fellow former Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic as the new coach, said: “The first game is always difficult.
“It’s not easy to get used to it that quickly, but I’m pretty happy with the way I played today.”
The third edition of the United Cup runs until January 5 2025, with matches taking place in Perth and Sydney.
GB’s group match against Australia will see British women’s number one Katie Boulter take on her fiancé Alex de Minaur. The couple announced their engagement earlier this week.
The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season, begins on Sunday, January 12.
