Rafael Nadal came back twice from a break down against Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka to put Spain into the ATP Cup quarter-finals in Australia.

The world number one won 7-6 (7-4) 6-4) to give Spain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the tie after Robert Bautista Agut had earlier beaten Go Soeda 6-2 6-4.

Nadal then paired up with Pablo Carreno Busta to win the doubles rubber and end Japan’s chances of a last-eight spot.

Argentina later beat Croatia to advance to the knockout stage.

Canada and Belgium sealed the two remaining quarter-final spots as the best runners-up.

The knockout stage, taking place in Sydney, begins on Thursday with Great Britain facing hosts Australia (from 23:00 GMT on Wednesday).

The ATP Cup is a new 24-nation knockout tournament that has been set up by the men’s professional tour to kick off the 2020 season.

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• Opponent persuades angry Cuevas to play on

Nadal aims to ‘increase level’ after errors

Spain, who won the Davis Cup – another men’s team tennis event – in November, ended their group-stage campaign with a perfect record of nine wins.

But an unusually sluggish Nadal was made to work hard against world number 72 Nishioka, making 19 unforced errors and dropping serve twice in the first set.

It was the first time Nadal, who has not dropped a set at the tournament yet, had played in the hot conditions of the Perth day session.

“It’s the first time I played under these heavy conditions, so the feeling on court is completely different,” Nadal, 33, said.

“I think it’s been a positive week for me winning against three tough opponents,” he added. “It’s going to be tough in Sydney. I really hope to be ready to increase my level.”

Nadal can equal Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam singles titles at the Australian Open, which starts on 20 January, but the Spaniard said he was not thinking about catching the Swiss great.

“My only goal is to keep playing good tennis, keep enjoying this sport and being happy,” he said. “And if that happens and I stay healthy then the goal is to keep producing chances in the events that I’m going to play.”

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Quarter-final line-up completed

In a winner-takes-all tie between Argentina and Croatia in Sydney, Guido Pella beat 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 before Diego Schwartzman swept aside Borna Coric 6-2 6-2 to put the South Americans through to the quarter-finals.

Belgium – who were runners-up to Great Britain in Group C – clinched a place as one of the best second-placed teams, while Canada took the final spot for the knockouts.

Novak Djokovic’s Serbia, who had already qualified for the Sydney knockout stage, finished their round-robin campaign with a 2-1 win over Chile in Brisbane.

“Sydney’s got a big Serbian community, hopefully the support can be as good as it was here, even better,” said 16-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who beat Cristian Garin 6-3 6-3 to make it three singles victories and one doubles win so far.

France and Croatia had chances to go through but failed to take them.

France needed to beat South Africa 3-0 but lost 2-1 despite captain Gilles Simon stepping in as a late replacement for the injured Gael Monfils to beat Lloyd Harris in the opening match.

Benoit Paire failed to serve out the match twice against Kevin Anderson and had a match point saved in a 2-6 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-5) loss.

Croatia meanwhile, would have gone through if they had beaten already-qualified Argentina in the doubles, but Ivan Dodig and Nikola Mektic lost to Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni on a deciding tie-break.

In the tie between already eliminated Georgia and Uruguay in Group B, a fuming Pablo Cuevas packed his bag and walked off court after getting a warning from the umpire – before his opponent Nikoloz Basilashvili went after him and persuaded him to resume the match.

A fuming Pablo Cuevas packed his bag and walked off court after getting a warning from the umpire – before his opponent went after him and persuaded him to resume their ATP Cup match.

The bizarre episode began when the Uruguayan returned from a changeover unusually pumped while trailing 5-4.

He had sprinted out of his chair, roared towards his bench and leapt high in the air while receiving serve.

He also made several other exaggerated gestures, receiving a code violation.

Cuevas, 34, was incensed by the warning – which came when Georgian opponent Nikoloz Basilashvili had three set points – and asked the umpire if he was “crazy” and demanded the supervisor be called.

After a lengthy exchange with the supervisor, Cuevas decided he had had enough and put his racquets back in his bag, then headed towards the exit with boos ringing out in the Perth arena.

Basilashvili, however, walked over to the Uruguayan world number 41, put his hand on his shoulder and spoke to him to get him to change his mind.

The move almost backfired for the Georgian, who went on to lose the second set to an inspired Cuevas before winning 6-4 1-6 6-4.

• Nadal puts Spain into ATP Cup quarter-finals
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Both countries had already been eliminated from the tournament.

It is not the first time Cuevas’ conduct has come under the spotlight – at Wimbledon in 2016 he was fined almost £7,000 after threatening to urinate in a ball can on court and then staging a sit-in protest during a match.

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Britain’s Johanna Konta has pulled out of next week’s Adelaide International as a “precautionary” measure.

The 28-year-old world number 12 has been managing a knee condition for much of the last year.

On Monday, she lost in three sets to Barbara Strycova in the first round of the Brisbane International.

That was her first match since September’s US Open, and will be the only one she plays before the Australian Open begins on 20 January.

British number one Konta will head to Melbourne next week to spend time on the practice courts in the run up to the season’s first Grand Slam.

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Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal will take part in an exhibition match to raise money for a bushfire relief fund in Australia.

The match is scheduled for 15 January, five days before the start of the Australian Open, and will take place at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena.

Australian Nick Kyrgios will also be playing, along with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Naomi Osaka and Caroline Wozniacki.

Fires in Australia have killed at least 25 people since September.

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Millions of animals have also been killed and almost 2,000 homes destroyed.

Milder weather brought brief respite last weekend but fire crews are again preparing for worsening conditions with temperatures predicted to soar on Friday.

“For a period of about two and a half hours we’re going to be showcasing the game, but also coming together as a community to play our part in the relief effort,” said Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley.

Kyrgios is donating 200 Australian dollars (£106) for every ace he hits in events held in Australia in January as part of the fundraising effort, while compatriot Ashleigh Barty will donate all of her prize money from the Brisbane International.

World number eight Belinda Bencic has pledged the same amount for every double fault she hits at the Adelaide International and Australian Open.

“I’m not the best at hitting aces but much better at double faults,” the 22-year-old Swiss wrote on Twitter.

“I won’t be angry at myself when I hit one and finally they will be useful.”

Meanwhile, a group of nine Australian players from the National Basketball Association (NBA) have pledged 750,000 Australian dollars (£392,000) towards the relief and recovery efforts.

Ben Simmons, Aron Baynes, Jonah Bolden, Ryan Broekhoff, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, Thon Maker and Patty Mills are the players involved.

“We are heartbroken over the devastation these fires are causing all across our homeland,” the players said.

“Our thoughts are with our families, friends and all of the people of Australia. We hope you feel our love and support and know that we will continue to bring awareness to this crisis globally and provide assistance in any way we can.”

Maria Sharapova says the women’s Brisbane International feels like a “second-hand” event because the men’s ATP Cup has taken over centre court.

The WTA event is taking place at the Queensland Tennis Centre – the same venue as the Brisbane round-robin stage of the inaugural men’s team event.

“There’s a lot of girls that are deserving of that centre-court spot,” the five-time Grand Slam champion said.

Four of the world’s top five female players feature in a strong field.

• Nadal puts Spain in ATP Cup quarter-finals
• Watch: Tsitsipas told off by mum after hitting dad with racquet

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens accused organisers of favouring male players, with women’s matches being played on outside courts.

“We just weren’t in the conversation to even be considered,” the American, 26, said.

“It was what the ATP wanted – they got what they wanted, girls to the side, that’s kind of how it always is.”

Russia’s Sharapova, who lost in the first round to American qualifier Jennifer Brady on Tuesday, added: “You definitely recognise it and notice it. It feels like a little bit of a second-hand event.”

Brisbane International tournament director Mark Handley did not directly address the issue but said tennis in Australia was in a “transitional period” after the introduction of the ATP Cup, which is being played in Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.

“We are working with the tours to create an Australian summer of tennis that is an incredible global launch to the international tennis season,” he said.

“The ATP Cup is the first step in that and now we are in great talks with the WTA about a new concept and are really excited about the potential in this space.”

With the knockout stage of the ATP Cup being played exclusively in Sydney from Thursday onwards, women’s matches will be able to move to centre court in Brisbane for the later stages of their tournament.

Sharapova given Australian Open wildcard

Former champion Sharapova is seeking to put behind her an injury-hit 2019 and was handed a wildcard for the Australian Open on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old former world number one has dropped to 147th after playing just 15 matches last year because of a long-term shoulder injury.

Her current ranking means she would have had to come through qualifying to reach the main draw of the opening Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne, which starts on 20 January.

The 2008 Australian Open champion failed a drugs test at the 2016 edition, which led to a 15-month ban from tennis.

She reached the fourth round of last year’s tournament, losing in three sets to Ashleigh Barty, who has since become world number one.

“To be in the draw of the Australian Open is incredible,” said Sharapova, who also reached the final in 2007, 2012 and 2015.

“I’ve had wonderful experiences there, from holding the championship trophy to losing some very tough finals as well – there have been a lot of ups and downs in Australia.

“So to have another chance, another opportunity, to compete on all those courts is very special.”

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Stefanos Tsitsipas says he did not mean to hit his dad with his racquet when he lost his temper during his ATP Cup defeat by Australia’s Nick Kyrgios.

The Greek, 21, smashed his racquet twice near the team bench after losing a first-set tie-break, catching his dad Apostolos’ arm with the second swipe.

Apostolos, also his son’s coach, looked stunned and went to sit in the stands, clutching his bruised right arm.

Stefanos, meanwhile, was warned by the umpire and then told off by his mum.

“It happened accidentally. I didn’t mean to do it and straight away forgot about it and moved on from there,” Tsitsipas told reporters after the 7-6 (9-7) 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-5) loss in Brisbane.

“It happens, I wasn’t aiming to do that. It just went out of control, unfortunately.

“Maybe I’ll stay in my room for three days, grounded by my father,” he joked.

Mum Julia, a former professional tennis player, came down from the stands to lean over the barriers and give her son a telling-off.

Tsitsipas was later docked a point for unsportsmanlike behaviour after smashing a ball towards his team bench.

Kyrgios, who is no stranger to on-court meltdowns himself and is serving a six-month probationary period as part of a suspended 16-week ban for “aggravated behaviour”, played down the incidents.

“I’ve done some stupid things as well in the heat of the moment, so it was obviously an accident,” he said after Australia’s 3-0 victory in the tie.

Hosts Australia play Great Britain in the quarter-finals of the inaugural ATP Cup in Sydney on Thursday (starts 23:00 GMT Wednesday).

• Nadal puts Spain in ATP Cup quarter-finals
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