SYDNEY – Alexander Zverev led Germany into the semi-finals of the United Cup on Jan 5 after winning his singles rubber against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas before partnering Laura Siegemund in the mixed doubles to clinch the decider.
World No. 8 Maria Sakkari had given Greece a 1-0 lead with a 6-0, 6-3 win over three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber, before Zverev defeated Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4.
With the team score tied at 1-1, Zverev returned to the court soon after alongside Siegemund. They beat the Greek pair of Petros Tsitsipas, Stefanos’ younger brother, and Sakkari 6-3, 6-3.
“I was taking a back seat (playing) with Laura. I think we deserve to be in the semi-finals,” Zverev said. He has won five of his six matches this week, only narrowly losing with Kerber in Germany’s 2-1 defeat in group play to France.
Zverev was aggressive in the singles, doing damage with his first serve and although Australian Open runner-up Tsitsipas hit 16 winners, his 24 unforced errors allowed Zverev to cruise past the world No. 6.
He said: “I had to come out aggressive because I knew Stef is one of the best aggressive players, if not the best aggressive player, in the game. If he is on the front foot, it’s extremely difficult to play against him.”
Zverev, who fell in the second round of 2023’s Australian Open following his comeback from an ankle injury, is hoping to progress further in the Grand Slam in 2024.
“Being healthy is the biggest thing for any athlete, the mindset this year is different,” he said.
“I hope that I can stay in Australia a bit longer, maybe a bit more successful. I’ve already won more matches this year than I did last year, so I’m happy.”
Earlier, Sakkari comfortably beat Kerber, who is playing her first tournament in 18 months after a maternity break.
Sakkari got off to a flying start, speeding through the first nine games of the match to take the first set and rack up a 3-0 lead in the second, before Kerber was finally able to hold serve.
The hold appeared to spark Kerber into action as she broke to bring the second set back on serve at 3-2, but her brief resurgence was quickly squashed by Sakkari, who claimed her third straight singles win of the tournament.
“I was pretty clinical in the first set and through 3-0 in the second. I was very solid from the baseline doing what I had to do,” Sakkari said.
“I knew Angie was going to find a way to come back and that she wasn’t going to give up. After the first set, I said there was no way the match will go super easy.”
The Germans face hosts Australia on Jan 6 while Poland take on France in the other semi-final.
REUTERS, AFP
