By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, January 7, 2024
Laura Siegemund and Alexander Zverev beat Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 5-7, 10-4 to clinch Germany's win over Poland to capture the United Cup.
Photo credit: United Cup Facebook
Blue confetti showered down on the joyous German side.
An indigo shower capped Germany’s inspired storm to an emotional United Cup championship.
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Alexander Zverev and Laura Siegemund played a commanding tiebreaker defeating Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek 6-4, 5-7, 10-4 to capture the United Cup with a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over Poland in Sydney tonight.
The dramatic duel ended at 12:45 a.m. local time at Ken Rosewall Arena with German captain Torben Beltz vowing to keep the victory party pumping all night long after a second straight late-night rousing rally from his team that was very nearly down and out.
“It’s been absolutely amazing, it’s been a pleasure, it’s been absolutely so much fun for everybody being a part of this team especially for me,” Zverev said after leading Germany's comeback to the Cup that saw it save multiple championship points in the semifinal win over Australia and tonight.
World No. 1 Swiatek staked Poland to a 1-0 lead soaring through nine straight games in a crushing 6-3, 6-0 conquest of former world No. 1 Angelique Kerber, who launched her comeback at this United Cup after an 18-month maternity leave giving birth to her first child. Swiatek earned tournament MVP honors for her efforts.
A 10-day competition featuring 18 nations came down to one man making a stand.
Olympic gold-medal champion Zverev delivered a double dose of heroic play to carry Germany to the Cup.
First, Zverev fought off two championship points in the second-set tiebreaker out-dueling Hurkacz 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-4 to level this final and force the decisive mixed doubles match.
After a short break, Zverev laid it all on the line with a tremendous serving performance and shared dynamic net play with Siegemund to pull off an improbable late night into early morning comeback.
“Congrats to Team Poland, amazing run, a matter of millimeters today for you guys to be the champions,” Zverev said. “I know it’s upsetting, but you guys all have an amazing season ahead, Hubi and Iga especially I think.
“Iga congratulations on MVP. I think having you on a team is like having a cheat code on a video game. It’s amazing what you’ve been doing the last few years. I think you have a big season ahead so congratulations to all of you guys.”
For the second straight tie, the German team of Zverev and Siegemund pulled out mixed magic to win a thriller.
The German duo showed their character denying a pair of match points defeating Australian world No. 1 doubles player Storm Hunter and Matthew Ebden 7-6(2), 6-7(2), 15-13 to clinch a rousing 2-1 semifinal win over host Australia at Ken Rosewall Arena in a dizzying drama that ended at 2:15 a.m. local time.
In that tie, Kerber saved two match points, climbing back from the brink beating Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(7) to force the mixed doubles match after Alex de Minaur edged Zverev in three sets.
“Angie, welcome back, you missed the difficult moments, you missed the heartbreaks, you missed the match point down,” Zverev said. “So I think there’s no better way to say welcome back.”
Former Australian Open champion Kerber, who previously partnered Zverev to successive Hopman Cup final losses to the Swiss team of Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic, said United Cup was the ideal return.
“For me this is the perfect comeback,” Kerber said. “One half of my heart is Polish. “It was a great comeback for me and it feels so so great to be on court again starting with a team event…
“Sascha, you are my hero this week. It’s great to have you by my side.”
It was an emotionally crushing loss for Poland, a 2022 semifinalist, which nearly hand its hands up the Cup with Hurkacz holding two championship points at 6-4 in the second set of tonight’s men's singles.
The booming serving Hurkacz could not close and a fired-up Zverev flipped the switch to again give Germany new life.
“It was a close battle, but you guys deserved it really, really well played,” the humble Hurkacz said afterward. “Congrats to Iga for most valuable player trophy–she deserved it.
“She’s the No. 1 player in the world and she showed it here. She was carrying me on mixed doubles as well so it was a pleasure.”
Asked the key to unlocking his great escape, Zverev said this match shows it’s a sport of miniscule margins.
"I have absolutely no idea [how I won]. Also I saved a match point hitting a passing shot this much on the line, so this is how tennis goes sometimes," Zverev told Hall of Famer Jim Courier in his on-court interview after his singles comeback. "You win and lose by millimeters and today I was lucky enough in a way. But obviously it's not over yet. We still have mixed doubles to play and we'll see how that goes."
The Germans drew first-break blood in decisive doubles.
Playing the ad side of the court, a shrewd Siegemund slid a low return and attacked the net. Siegemund dug out a demanding volley cornering Swiatek into an errant backhand pass as the Germans broke the No. 1 for a 2-1 lead.
A poaching Zverev knifed a backhand volley to seal Siegemund’s hold for a 3-1 German lead.
Zverev zapped an ace down the T, capping a love hold as Germany extended its lead to 4-2.
Serving for the opening set, Zverev came back from love-30 down slamming a series of heavy first serves, including an ace down the middle to give Germany a one-set lead.
Looking a bit disconsolate to start the second set, the Polish side shrugged it off.
Reading an angled Zverev serve, Swiatek drilled a diagonal forehand return the Olympic gold-medal champion could not handle as Poland broke for a 2-0 second-set lead.
The 2022 US Open champion Swiatek, who had been a target for Germany at net, coaxed a netted backhand from Siegemund backing up the break for 3-0.
Undaunted, Germany broke Hurkacz’s serve to put the set back on serve at 2-3.
A sweet, short-angled backhand volley winner from Siegemund leveled the German side 3-all.
On Siegemund’s serve, Poland pounced. Hurkacz hammered successive drives right at Zverev at net, rattling out a framed error as Poland broke for 5-3.
Seventh-five minutes into the match, Poland had Germany pinned behind the baseline but Zverev conjured a magical lob winner off his backfoot for 30-all.
On set point, which was also a deciding point, Hurkacz went all in on a massive second serve but missed long. That double fault gave Germany the break and put it back on serve 4-5.
Zverev saved a set point blasting a serve into Swiatek’s hip. On the second set point, also a deciding point, Zverev rolled a running short-angled forehand holding to level after 10 games.
Hurkacz hammered a return winner off a Siegemund serve, pumping Poland up with triple set point in the 12th game. Following a forehand return forward, Hurkacz rushed Siegmund into a netted pass attempt as Poland snatched the second set, 7-5, forcing a deciding first-to-10 point match tiebreaker.
In a sensational point that spanned all corners of the court, Germany defended with vigor finally eliciting a Swiatek forehand miss to score the opening mini break.
Zverev slammed down strong serves as Germany went up 3-0 in the tiebreaker. Fine net play from Siegemund and a heavy strike by Zverev extended the lead to 6-1.
When Swiatek netted a forehand, Germany had championship point.
Pinching the middle at net, Zverev knocked off a volley to end another long night’s journey into morning then wrapped Siegemund in an elated embrace.
Their German teammates, arms locked, bounced up and down in joy after a tremendous team comeback.
Across net, Swiatek slumped in her seat with tears and sweat streaming on her face.
In a battle of Grand Slam champions, Swiatek opened the final demolishing Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-0, staking Poland to a 1-0 lead.
Ultimately, the world No. 1 Swiatek and one of the world’s most dangerous doubles players in Hurkacz couldn’t not stop Germany’s revival.
“It was really tight. Last year we made it to the semifinals, this year to the final so hopefully the next step is going to be winning,” Swiatek said. “For sure we’re making progress and I want to thank my team, all the players, the captain [coach Tomasz Wiktorowski], who I convinced to be a captain.
"And he did an amazing job, really supported us throughout the whole tournament.”