SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – In a dramatic final, Germany clinched the United Cup trophy with a remarkable comeback victory over Poland, concluding in the early hours of Monday morning. The decisive moment came when Alexander Zverev and Laura Siegemund secured a mixed doubles win against Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek, the world No. 1, at Ken Rosewall Arena.
The match, which ended at 12:45 a.m., saw the German duo triumph with a scoreline of 6-4, 5-7, 10-4. This victory marked Germany’s persistent resilience throughout the tournament, having finished second in Group D and narrowly advancing to the quarter-finals based on the percentage of games won. Remarkably, Siegemund and Zverev won critical mixed doubles matches consecutively on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, culminating in lifting the trophy.
Zverev played a pivotal role in Germany’s success, especially in the championship match against Poland. Despite trailing Hurkacz and facing championship points, he rallied to win his singles match 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-4. This forced the deciding mixed doubles against Poland, where Swiatek had earlier defeated Angelique Kerber.
Zverev, reflecting on the win, praised the Polish team’s performance and expressed his joy at sharing the trophy with his teammates. He specifically commended Swiatek for her impressive play, likening her presence in a team to having a “cheat code in a video game.”
Poland demonstrated resilience, particularly in the second set when Hurkacz was broken while serving but bounced back to break and win the set. However, Germany took an early lead in the match tie-break, and Poland, despite their strong performance throughout the United Cup, could not recover.
Swiatek, despite the loss, remained optimistic about Poland’s progression in the tournament, noting their improvement from the semi-finals last year to the final this year.
The United Cup final was a testament to the high level of competition and the thin margins that often decide the outcomes in tennis. Germany’s triumph underlines the importance of teamwork and resilience in the sport.
