Australia's hopes of retaining the Hopman Cup ended after a tense three-set defeat to the Czech Republic allowed the United States to book their place in the final.
The pressure was on Nick Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova ahead of their meeting with Adam Pavlasek and Lucie Hradecka in Perth after American duo Jack Sock and Coco Vandeweghe put themselves on the verge of securing top spot in Group B with a comprehensive victory over Spain earlier in the day.
All seemed to be going well for the hosts when Kyrgios wrapped up a 7-5 6-4 win over Pavlasek, before Gavrilova surrendered a first-set lead to lose 4-6 6-4 6-4 against Hradecka.
The Australians took the opening set of the doubles match but, under the Fast4 Tennis format, they eventually lost 3-4 (5/1) 4-3 (5/1) 4-2.
That result gave Americans Sock and Vandeweghe an unassailable lead at the top of the group and a spot in Saturday's final following their clean sweep win over Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Lara Arruabarrena.
Vandeweghe set them on their way, beating Arruabarrena in straight sets 6-2 6-4, before world number 23 Sock recovered from dropping the opening set to defeat Lopez 3-6 6-2 6-3 in the men's singles.
The Americans, who beat the Czechs 3-0 in their opening tie on New Year's Day, sealed another whitewash by edging the doubles 4-3 (5/3) 3-4 (2/5) 4-3 (5/2).
Source: PA
