Germany made an impressive comeback to win 2-1 against Poland in an exciting United Cup final in Sydney. Alexander Zverev became the hero for Germany by saving two important points during the match against Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.
Zverev and Laura Siegemund secured a crucial mixed-doubles victory, beating Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek 6-4, 5-7, 10-4 at the Ken Rosewall Arena, leading Germany to clinch the United Cup title. Zverev, commenting on the final, mentioned that having Swiatek on the team is akin to using cheat codes in a video game. Swiatek is set to compete in the upcoming Australian Open, aiming to secure her first title in the Grand Slam, which starts on January 14.
"Congrats to Team Poland, amazing run. It was a matter of millimetres today for you guys to be the champions. Iga, congratulations on the MVP. I said it before in an interview, I think having you on a team is like having a cheat code on a video game, so it's amazing what you've been doing for the past few years and I think you have a big season ahead," said Zverev.
After finishing second in Group D, Germany barely made it to the quarter-finals, securing their spot based on the percentage of games won. The real heroes of the tournament were Siegemund and Zverev, who won crucial mixed doubles matches on consecutive days, ultimately leading Germany to claim the trophy.
In the earlier stages of the competition, Poland's Swiatek, the top-ranked women's singles player, dominated over Germany's Angelique Kerber, defeating her in straight sets. With a remarkable winning streak of 16 matches and titles at prestigious events like the China Open and the WTA Finals in Mexico, the 22-year-old Swiatek seemed to have put Poland on a promising path for the United Cup.
However, Germany successfully reversed Poland's initial lead. In the men's singles match, despite Hurkacz winning the first set and leading 6-4 in the second, Zverev showcased remarkable resilience. He executed a decisive running cross-court forehand that not only secured the second set for Germany but also levelled the overall match. Zverev went on to claim victory in the deciding set by securing a crucial break in the third game, concluding the intense baseline battle in just under three hours.
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