Great Britain defeat Australia in group stage, eliminated, mixed doubles pairing late change

Team Australia has been eliminated from the United Cup despite winning their tie 2-1 over Great Britain on Wednesday night.

Austalia won its mixed doubles leg 6-3, 7-6(3) but the feat was not enough to get the job done at Ken Rosewall Arena.

The locals required a 3-0 win in its tie with the Brits to top Group F and directly qualify for the United Cup quarterfinals in Sydney.

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Alex de Minaur reacts during Australia's tie with Great Britain. Andy Cheung via Getty Images

But after Boulter took a straight sets win in the women's singles match, Alex de Minaur and Australia's mixed doubles pair needed to produce straight-set victories of their own — with minimal games lost — for the host nation to be the best-placed runner-up.

Needing a swift victory, de Minaur played his part — cruising past world No.125 Billy Harris with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph.

With the win, de Minaur squared the tie 1-all and set up a do-or-die mixed doubles leg.

Set the mammoth task of not being able to lose more than four games to progress, Team Australia stunned with a late change to their mixed doubles pairing.

It was thought that de Minaur might come up against his fiancée Boulter in the mixed doubles.

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"I've lost a lot of sleep thinking about playing my fiancé in the mixed doubles," Boulter said after her victory.

But it was not to be as Australia's call to swap out Ellen Perez and Matthew Ebden for Olivia Gadecki and de Minaur — backing up from his men's singles match — was met by Boulter's replacement by Olivia Nicholls.

In an early bow to Australia's chances, Team Great Britain secured a break as Gadecki came up short on three volleys.

Australia immediately broke back and later capitalised when Nicholls got lost in her serve.

After serving out the first set, Australia gave itself a glimmer of hope with a one-game buffer for the second set.

But it was not enough as Great Britain went 2-0 up in the second to end Australia's campaign before a victor had been crowned.

Alex De Minaur of Australia plays a forehand shot during his Group F doubles match with Olivia Gadewcki against Charles Broom and Olivia Nicholls. Brett Hemmings via Getty Images

During last year's edition of the tournament, Storm Hunter and Matthew Ebden lead Australia to a 2-1 victory over Great Britain after prevailing in their doubles leg.

Earlier, in the opening leg, Boulter put together a comprehensive 6-2, 6-1 win over Aussie women's No.1 Gadeki.

The world No.24 was in complete control from the opening game — in which she broke Gadeki — and did not take her foot off the accelerator.

In a match of first-strike tennis, Boulter pounced in a performance of the calibre of a top-20 player.

"Goodness me, Boulter has been sharp," Sam Smith said in commentary for Nine.

The contest was all over in one hour and 10 minutes as Team Great Britain took a 1-0 lead in the tie — the result required to propel them to the top of Group F and into the quarter-finals.

"I'd love nothing more than Australia to come second," Boulter had said post-match.

Great Britain will meet Poland in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

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