Germany beat Poland 2-1 to win the United Cup team title on Sunday, with Alexander Zverev and Laura Siegemund combining to claim the trophy with a mixed doubles win.
The winners had been through the wringer over the past 72 hours, with matches on all three days and an exhausted Zverev feeling the effects of exertions in both singles and the mixed.
Siegemund served out the win in the final-set match tiebreak of the mixed to send Germany through with a 6-4, 5-7, 10-4 scoreline wrapping up more than a week of competition in Perth and the final rounds in Sydney.
As in the previous day’s win over Australia, the tie went down to the last few games.
Kerber lost the opening rubber 6-3, 6-0 to Swiatek, with Zverev fighting through a thriller to level the tie as he beat Hubert Hurkacz 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6), 6-4.
“This is the perfect comeback to be honest,” said Kerber, back after 18 months of maternity leave.
“It feels so great being on court again. Without Sascha we would not be here today, you are my hero this week.
“I feel the energy and the emotion, this is what I missed the last year and a half.”
Zverev pulled his singles out of the fire with his performance in the second rubber after getting to bed only around 6 a.m. after a late-night win over Australia.
The German saved two match points in the second set – one by a hair – and was glad to escape to throw the final into a mixed doubles decider.
“I have no idea who I won this,” he No. 7 said. “This is how tennis goes sometimes.
“I saved one match point by millimetres; today I was lucky enough.”
As he battled on, Zverev admitted he was feeling the accumulated fatigue.
“I was exhausted in the middle of the second set and and in the third I was hanging in a lot of times.
“Somehow I got the break in the third set, it was extremely mentally and physically difficult.”
The German was playing for a third straight day in singles and mixed doubles at the team event.
Swiatek was dominant as she began with a win over Kerber in 72 minutes.
The Polish world No. 1 has lost only one set from five matches played at the event and was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
“I’ve played solid matches here, it’s been really fun and exciting to play with teammates,” she said. “I’m proud I could win all of my singles.
Swiatek said she took a few games to find her way against former No. 1 Kerber, now back after an 18-month maternity pause.
“I needed time to get into rhythm,” the Pole said. “But I pushed her a bit more after that.”
Main photo:- Germany win United Cup by UnitedCup.com
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