Reigning Olympic champion Alexander Zverev has led Germany to victory in the United Cup tournament after an intense final victory over Poland in Sydney. Overcoming tiredness and cramping, Zverev fought back from a set down and two match points to win the decisive match in a thrilling three-hour contest against world No.9 Hubert Hurkacz. After helping his team to a 1-1 tie, Zverev returned to the court to partner with doubles specialist Laura Siegemund in the deciding rubber against Hurkacz and women’s singles world No.1 Iga Swiatek to secure the win for Germany.
With the victory, Zverev expressed his gratitude towards his team and expressed his wish for the team to continue winning in future competitions. This is Germany’s first tennis team triumph since the 1990s, marking an important achievement for the nation. The article also mentions that Angelique Kerber and Grigor Dimitrov nearly missed out on titles prior to their pivotal performances. Following a grueling semifinal match earlier in the tournament, Zverev managed to hold on until 2:00am local time to pull out a win in the finals.
In a separate event, Grigor Dimitrov emerged as the champion of the Brisbane International, marking his first title since 2017. The victory was a meaningful milestone for Dimitrov, who expressed his desire to improve and evolve his game to compete with younger players. With the triumph, Dimitrov seeks to make an impact in the upcoming Australian Open.