World number 19 Elina Svitolina got her nation off to the best possible start in the Group A match as she dominated her clash with Jarmila Wolfe on her way to sealing a comprehensive 6-3, 6-3 victory.

Alexandr Dolgopolov endured a difficult start to his match against veteran Lleyton Hewitt, winner of two Grand Slams, as the Australian began strongly and took the opening set 6-4.

But the Ukrainian rallied, levelling the match at one-set all by clinching the second 6-3, and he then completed the comeback by winning the decider 6-4 to send his team through to the final.

Wolfe and Hewitt ensured they ended on a high despite defeat already being assured as they triumphed in the mixed doubles rubber by beating the Ukrainian duo 6-3, 5-7, 10-5.

The results saw Dolgopolov, the world number 36 who is considered one of the trickiest customers on the tour due to his unorthodox playing style, and Wolfe maintain their 100 per cent singles record at the event, often used as a warm-up for the Australian Open, following earlier victories against the USA and the Czech Republic in Group A.

The duo have become the second Ukrainian team to reach the final of the competition, following in the footsteps of Andrei Medvedev and Natalia Medvedeva, who achieved the feat in 1995.

Their campaign ended in disappointment, however, as they suffered a 3-0 loss at the hands of German pair Boris Becker and Anke Huber.

“Today was a tough match, he's not easy to play, and it was not easy to come back,” Dolgopolov said.

“I didn't want to go to third match at 1-1, we'd lost both our mixed doubles and we needed to win this match.

"It means a lot, I get a bit more nervous [playing for Ukraine] than in my own tournaments, and the whole country is watching.

“There is just one match left now and that's the final.”

In the day’s other match, the United States shrugged off the absence of world number one Serena Williams, who withdrew from the tournament through injury, as they picked up their first win by beating the Czech Republic 2-1.

Big-serving Jack Sock claimed a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 victory over Jiří Veselý to put the American side 1-0 up, before Karolina Pliskova drew the Czechs level by ousting Williams’ replacement Victoria Duval 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

That sent the tie into a deciding mixed doubles rubber and the American duo were able to seal the overall win by edging the Czech team 7-6, 4-6, 10-7.

Australia Green will join Ukraine in the final with a Group B win over France tomorrow, but a slip-up could allow Germany or Great Britain, who meet in the other game, to progress.