Hopman Cup: Alexander Zverev sets blockbuster Roger Federer clash
For the second year in a row, we will watch the same four players in the Hopman Cup title match after Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev defeating Australia 2-0 to move Germany into the title clash against Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic on Saturday at RAC Arena in Perth! Australia and Germany played for the place in the final and the Germans proved to be too strong in singles matches to secure the win before the mixed doubles encounter that will carry no importance. Angelique Kerber kicked off the action with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ashleigh Barty in an hour and 14 minutes, delivering fury from her first serve and fending off all five break points to mount the pressure on the home favorite who couldn't deal with it.
Despite her best effort, Ashleigh suffered one break in each set to stay empty-handed, missing her opportunities in games after she got broken and handing the win to her rival. The first set was fast and fluid and Kerber drew first blood with a break at love at 3-3 following a wild forehand from Barty that cost her the set. The German saved a break point with a smash winner a few minutes later to confirm the break and she delivered the set with a hold at 15 in game 10 after 32 minutes. Barty netted a forehand in the third game of the second set to give her serv away and Angelique had to dig deep in the next game in order to secure the break, fending off four break opportunities to make a huge step towards the finish line.
Barty saved a match point on own serve at 3-5, bringing the game home with a service winner and forcing Kerber to serve for the win. That proved to be no problem for the better-ranked player what so ever, holding at love with three winners to secure the triumph and the opening point for Germany. In the men's singles match, the world no. 4 Alexander Zverev clinched his third win of this year's Hopman Cup campaign after a 6-4, 6-3 win over Matthew Ebden in an hour and 16 minutes to propel Germany into the final for the second straight year. Sascha served at only 53% but no one could notice that on the court, dropping nine points in service games and never facing a break point.
Ebden struggled with his second serve big time and he had to play against eight break points, getting broken three times to end on the negative side of the scoreboard and miss a chance to keep Australia in contention for the place in the final. The German hit the zone right from the start and he earned a break in the third game when Matthew fired a forehand long. Sailing through his service games, Sascha wasted two set points on the return in the ninth game but he took care for that on own serve in the following game, blasting a backhand cross court winner for a 6-4 in 42 minutes.
There was nothing Ebden could do on the return in set number two as well and he suffered a break in game three to drift further and further away from the positive result. Zverev was on a roll and he completed a great performance with a return winner in game nine for a break at love and the second point for Germany that moves them into the title match against Switzerland.
Germany vs Australia 2-0
Angelique Kerber (GER) vs Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6-4 6-4 Alexander Zverev (GER) vs Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-4 6-3
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2COKa68
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