Germany down Poland 2-1 in final to lift their maiden United Cup title

SYDNEY (Agencies): Germany clinched a maiden United Cup title as they came back from a rubber down to beat Poland 2-1 at the Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney on Sunday. Iga Swiatek’s straight-sets victory over Angelique Kerber gave Poland first blood in the women’s singles rubber, before Alexander Zverev saved two championship points against Hubert Hurkacz to level the tie and take it to a mixed doubles decider. Zverev, Swiatek and Hurkacz took to the court once more, along with Laura Siegemund, Zverev’s partner, as both pairs fought for a maiden title for their nation. The match ended 6-4 5-7 10-4 as they played beyond midnight into the Australian evening, as Hurkacz was broken in the second set, but the Poles rallied to eventually force the decider. But it was the German pair who stepped onto the gas in the championship tie-break, and a Siegemund serve, followed up by a Zverev backhand volley putaway sealed the title for the Germans, who had gone the distance in every tie they played during the tournament. “It’s been absolutely amazing. It’s been a pleasure and it’s been absolutely so much fun for everybody to be part of this team, especially for me,” Zverev said after the doubles. “Congrats to Team Poland, amazing run. It was a matter of millimetres today for you guys to be the champions. I know it is upsetting, but you guys all have I think an amazing season ahead. Hubi and Iga, especially I think 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.” Swiatek, the world No. 1, cruised past her German opponent 6-3 6-0 in what was the pair’s first encounter since 2022, in the last 16 of Indian Wells. Swiatek won that tie in three sets, but there was no similar sense of competition here, as the Pole rattled off nine-straight games at the end of the first set and the rest of the match to seal victory and notch the first rubber in Poland’s favour.

Kerber, who had finished at 2am local time the night before against Ajla Tomljanovic, started well, with Swiatek needing to fend off two break-point opportunities for the former world No. 1. Swiatek grew into the match, and after finding her rhythm, she also found the elusive break to go up 5-3, using her fierce power to wear down her 35-year-old opponent.  She served the set out comfortably, ending it with 21 winners. Speaking after her singles, Swiatek said: “I felt like she was really picking the right spots to play and she surprised me sometimes with her decision-making and choices. “I knew she could play like that but I didn’t have much time to get into the rhythm because she was really aiming [for] these balls inside out. “With the ball change, I felt like my game could be more dynamic and I could push Angelique more after 4-3.” The men’s singles rubber that followed was a cracker, as Alexander Zverev came from a set down to beat Hubert Hurkacz, and set up a deciding mixed doubles showdown for the title. The German saved two match points en route to victory as he edged a tense second set tie-break to force a decider. The first match point Hurkacz spurned was at 4-6 in the tie-break, as Zverev dug out a passing forehand winner that snicked the baseline, before the second opportunity for the Pole to seal his nation’s first United Cup trophy went away as the world No. 9 powered a backhand wide of the target. Zverev clinched victory and restored parity for the Germans, holding strongly to leave the tie evenly poised, and he brought his momentum into the doubles, leading his country to their first United Cup success.