Reigning Olympic champion Alexander Zverev saved two match points in a remarkable comeback to win his singles tie in an epic three-setter and then helped clinch the United Cup final for Germany in the deciding mixed doubles match on Sunday in Sydney, Australia.
The sixth-ranked Zverev showed plenty of stamina in returning from the previous night’s early morning finish to rally from a set down and two match points and defeat No. 9-ranked Hubert Hurkacz 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 in a three-hour epic at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Then playing his sixth match in three days, including a 2.20 a.m. local time finish on Sunday in Germany’s marathon semifinal victory over Australia, Zverev partnered with Laura Siegemund to win the mixed doubles 6-4, 5-7, 10-4 in a super tiebreaker against Iga Swiatek and Hurkacz.
Fittingly, the winning shot was off Zverev’s raquet as his backhand volley winner clinched for Germany what had appeared an unlikely United Cup title after nail-biting victories in the semifinal and in Sunday’s final.
Earlier, top-ranked woman Swiatek had given Poland an early lead with a straight-sets win against Angelique Kerber.
Thre 22-year-old Swiatek beat Kerber 6-3, 6-0 in 70 minutes to stretch her win-streak to 16 matches, after the four-time major winner finished 2023 with title wins at the China Open and the WTA Finals in Mexico.
Swiatek’s victory meant Poland needed just one more win from the remaining men’s singles or mixed doubles match to claim the United Cup.
Hurkacz appeared to have Poland well on the way for its maiden team title as he led Zverev by a set and 6-4 in the second set tiebreaker.
‘You win and lose by millimetres sometimes’
Somehow Zverev found the energy and a superb running cross-court forehand that clipped the line to keep Germany in the tie.
He then served out the second set to level the match and clinched the deciding set with a break in the third game to close out a thrilling contest in just under three hours.
“I mean, also I saved a match for hitting a passing shot this much on the line,” Zverev said. “So this is how tennis goes sometimes. You win and lose by millimetres sometimes.
Earlier, Kerber, who saved two match points against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the semifinal on the way to her first singles win since returning from the birth of her first child, provided a stern test for Swiatek in a tight opening set.
The former top-ranked player had break point opportunities on Swiatek’s serve in the fourth and sixth games but was unable to convert as the Polish player scrambled through to hold.
The 22-year-old Swiatek took her opportunity to seize the advantage in the seventh game and clinched the set in 48 minutes.
Swiatek stepped up a gear in the second as she broke the three-time major winner three times to close out her fifth consecutive win this week and leave Poland just one win away from a maiden team event title.
“I’m really proud of myself that I could win all my singles,” Swiatek said post-match. “[Kerber] was really picking the right spot to play and she surprised me sometimes at the beginning of the set with her decision making and choices.
“I knew that she could play like that, but I didn’t have much time to get into the rhythm because she was really aiming for, sometimes, these balls inside-out, and it was pretty hard.”
WATCH | Canada eliminated from United Cup by Greece:
Greeks Despina Papamichail and Petros Tsitsipas beat Stacey Fung of Vancouver and Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal 7-5, 6-4 in the doubles rubber, as Greece swept Canada 3-0 at the United Cup.
Rybakina wins Brisbane International
Elena Rybakina claimed her sixth career title with a 6-0, 6-3 rout of top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka to win the the Brisbane International in a perfect tune-up for the first major of 2024.
Sabalenka, who had won five of her seven previous meetings against the fourth-seeded Rybakina, had no answer Sunday to the world No.4’s laser-like groundstrokes and deft touches at the net as Rybakina dominated the final and stamped her credentials as one of the favorites for the upcoming Australian Open.
Almost a year after contesting the Australian Open final, where Sabalenka beat Rybakina in a tight three-setter, the tables were turned dramatically as the 2022 Wimbledon winner broke Sabalenka three times in a one-sided first set of just 24 minutes on Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane.
The top-seeded Sabalenka finally got on the scoreboard when she broke serve in the ninth game, but Rybakina broke back immediately for a 3-1 lead in the second.
Sabalenka held serve for the first time in the match in the 11th game but it was too little too late as Rybakina nervelessly closed out the win on her first match point opportunity when the reigning Australian Open champion pushed her attacking forehand wide.
It capped a dominant week for Rybakina, who conceded just 15 games across five straight-set wins and was the 24-year-old sixth career title and first since Indian Wells last year.
“I’d like to say congrats Aryna for a great week and great season last year and hopefully we meet in Melbourne,” Rybakina said. “Despite the score, it’s always tough to play against you, we always push each other.”
The loss ended Sabalenka’s streak of 15 wins on Australian soil, including a title run in Adelaide last year before her Grand Slam breakthrough at Melbourne Park, but the world No.2 made light of a rare heavy defeat.
“I don’t know where to start … that was an interesting match, great job, thank you for those three games to at least make it look like a fight,” Sabalenka said post-match. “Couple of words to my team — you did a bad job today. 6-0 6-3, that’s all your fault guys.
“It is how it is. We showed some great tennis and hopefully we’ll do better at the Australian Open.”
Meanwhile, second-seeded Grigor Dimitrov beat top-seeded Holger Rune 7-6 (5), 6-4 in a tightly-fought men’s final for his first tour title in six years.
It was Dimitrov’s, ranked 14th, ninth career title and his first since the ATP finals in 2017, the same year he won his first Brisbane title.
“It’s been a while since I held one of these, I’m a little emotional,” Dimitrov said at the trophy presentation. “It’s difficult to describe. Holger, what a competitor.
“My love affair started 11 years ago in Brisbane and I think it continues.”
Dimitrov hit 33 winners and only 14 unforced errors, with Rune saving break points eight times before Dimitrov finally cracked his serve on the ninth opportunity to deny him a fifth title in the two-hour 13-minute encounter.
Gauff retains Auckland title, beating Svitolina
Top-seeded Coco Gauff has retained her title at the WTA Auckland Classic, beating second-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday’s final in New Zealand.
For the first time all week, Gauff had a fight on her hands. She swept into the final without dropping a set; in fact, dropping only 15 games on her way through the semifinals.
That followed her flawless tournament last year when she didn’t drop a set at all and capped off a perfect week with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Rebeka Masarova in the final.
Third-ranked Gauff had needed only four hours of court time to reach the final whereas Ukraine’s Svitolina took twice that much, beating Wang Xiyua of China 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a match which lasted four-and-a-half hours with rain breaks.
Sunday’s match against Svitolina was by far the toughest Gauff has faced in this, the first week of her 2024 season. She had to come from a set down for the first time and it took two hours 23 minutes to complete her victory. Previously, Gauff’s longest match at the tournament had been 1:22.
It was a struggle throughout. Gauff’s serve has been the cornerstone of her game all week. She served 10 aces alone in her 6-3, 6-1 win over fellow American Emma Navarro in the semifinals and she won 80 per cent of points all week when her first serve was in play.
Dimitrov rolls past Rune
Grigor Dimitrov captured his ninth career title with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over top-seeded Holger Rune in Brisbane.
The second-seeded Dimitrov recorded eight aces to dispatch the Dane in two hours 13 minutes. The Bulgarian’s title was his first since winning the Nitto ATP Finals in 2017 and his second in Brisbane (2017).
His 23 match wins in Brisbane are more than any other player has.
“It’s been a while since I held one of these, it’s a bit emotional,” Dimitrov, 32, said as he lifted the trophy. “My love affair started here many years ago in Brisbane and it continues. I’m very thankful to lift the trophy again.”
Rune was foiled in his bid for his fifth career title despite notching nine aces in the match.