U.S. finishes runner-up for Young Cup at World Tennis Masters 40 & 45 World Team Championships
The women’s team representing Team USA at the World Tennis Masters 40 & 45 World Team Championships finished runner-up to Italy in a hard-fought final as they looked to win back-to-back Championships in the Young Cup in Lisbon and Oeiras, Portugal.
Italy’s Lisa Sabino came out first and secured a win against USA’s Anda Perianu (Ithaca, N.Y.) 6-4, 6-2, to give the Italians the early advantage. Defending Masters World 40 Individual Champion Mariko Fritz-Krockow (Orinda, Calif.) tried to tie it up for the United States but fell to Alberta Brianti, 6-7, 4-6. The doubles match was a back and forth battle with the Italian team of Annalisa Bona and Alice Bott, who managed to beat Kaysie Smashey (Houston) and Fritz-Krockow in a third set tie-break, 7-6, 3-6, [11-9].
In the individual competition, defending women’s champion Mariko Fritz-Krockow lost in the semifinals in singles and finished as the doubles runner-up with German partner Eileen Aranas-Roth when they fell to Slovakia’s Silvia Chuda and Austria’s Nina Herrmann, 0-6, 2-6.
The event featured 126 teams representing 31 nations from around the world, all competing for the World Tennis Masters 40 & 45 World Team Championship titles.
2026 Masters World Team Championships (W40) Silver Medal (L-R) Kaysie Smashey, Andu Perianu, Mariko Fritz-Krockow and Julie Axelrod. Photo by World Tennis.
The tournament is the Masters equivalent of the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup competitions, with top American tennis players representing their country in the 40- and 45-and-over age groups.
Below is a list of players representing the United States in each division with results:
Tony Trabert Cup – Men’s 40 – Result: 4th Place (Great Britain def. USA 2-1)
Darrin Cohen, Alamo, Calif. - Captain
Phil Frayssinoux, Reno, Nev.
Bento Queiroz, Miami, Fla.
Rylan Rizza, Redondo Beach, Calif.
Dubler Cup – Men’s 45 – Result: 11th Place (USA def. Australia 2-1)
Wojtek Bratek, Panama City Beach, Fla. – Captain
John Chesworth, Knoxville, Tenn.
Guillermo Cosson, Houston
Jevin West, Seattle, Wash.
Young Cup – Women’s 40 – Result: Runner-UP (Italy def. USA 3-0)
Julie Axelrod, Davie, Fla.
Mariko Fritz-Krockow, Orinda, Calif.
Anda Perianu, Ithaca, N.Y.
Kaysie Smashey, Houston - Captain
Margaret Court Cup – Women’s 45 – Result: 5th Place (USA def. Netherlands 2-1)
Brandi Bratek, Panama City Beach, Fla. - Captain
Julia Dimitrov, Alpharetta, Ga.
Nataly Cahana Fleishman, Atlanta, Ga.
Hajnalka Alida Jakovenko, Alpharetta, Ga.
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