Hopman Cup: Alexander Zverev beats Lucas Pouille in overall win over France
The last year's Hopman Cup finalists Germany have stayed on the title course following another solid 3-0 win over France, despite two challenging singles matches. The world no. 2 Angelique Kerber had to come from a set down to topple Alize Cornet 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 in two hours and three minutes in the opening match, struggling to find the rhythm on the second serve after seven double faults but doing enough to cross the finish line first. The German fends off seven out of 10 break points and she secured five breaks from 11 chances to cross the finish line first and put her country ahead.
Cornet was broken already in the third game of the match after a double fault and Kerber had everything under control, serving well to maintain the lead and getting a chance to secure the opener in the 10th game. Instead of that, Cornet broke back to extend the set and gain the momentum, converting the third set point after a deep return at 6-5 to grab the first part of the match after 44 minutes. Angelique bounced back at the start of the second set, converting the third break point following a poor drop shot from Alize but giving her serve away in the very next game when her forehand landed long.
Cornet suffered another break in game three and Kerber fends off two break points in the sixth game to stay ahead, securing another break with a backhand cross court winner in game seven that pushed her closer to the target. The German saved two break points at 5-2, grabbing the set after a forehand error from her rival and setting the decider with the momentum on her side. Angelique secured a break at love in the third game of the third set, repelling a break point with a backhand down the line winner in the following game to cement the lead and emerge as a winner thanks to a service winner in game 10 that carried her over the top.
In the second match of the day, Alexander Zverev defeated Lucas Pouille 6-3, 6-7, 6-2 in two hours and nine minutes to wrap up another victory for Germany before the mixed doubles encounter. Sascha won 17 points more than his rival but he had to work hard to earn the triumph, saving seven out of eight break points and breaking Pouille's serve on four occasions to have the upper hand in sets one and three. Lucas had the opportunity for an early break in the very first game of the match but Zverev saved three break points to avoid the setback and stay on the positive side of the scoreboard.
After six good holds on both sides, Sascha broke at 15 in game eight following a backhand error from Lucas and the opener was in his hands when he held at love in game nine, taking 12 of the last 14 points and sealing it with a service winner after 29 minutes. The second set offered just one break point and Zverev saved it at 4-5 thanks to a terrible forehand from Pouille who wasted a 6-3 lead in the tie break to face the match point. Serving at 7-6, Sascha missed the smash from the baseline and he lost the breaker 10-8 after spraying a backhand error, keeping Lucas in the match and having to battle in the decider if he wanted to emerge as the winner.
There, they traded breaks in games two and three before the German shifted into a higher gear, breaking Pouille in game six after a double fault and clinching the win with another break at 5-2 when he forced an error from his rival. Pouille and Cornet won the mixed doubles match 4-3 4-3 in 52 minutes, coming from a 3-1 down in the opening set and prevailing in the second set tie break as well to reduce the deficit and set the final 2-1 score for Germany.
Germany vs France 2-1
Angelique Kerber (GER) d Alize Cornet (FRA) 5-7 6-2 6-4 Alexander Zverev (GER) d Lucas Pouille (FRA) 6-3 6-7(8) 6-2 Alize Cornet / Lucas Pouille (FRA) vs Angelique Kerber / Alexander Zverev (GER) 4-3(5-4) 4-3(5-3)
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2s6c5Z8
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