Alexander Zverev: 'Germany will try to beat Australia in Brisbane again'

The first edition of the newly-formed ATP Cup kicks off on Friday, with 24 countries fighting for the title in Sydney, Perth and Brisbane. Group F will play its round-robin ties at Pat Rafter Arena in Sydney, with the host nation Australia, Germany, Canada and Greece fighting for the place in the quarter-final. It should be a stellar contest between the upcoming young gun like Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alex de Minaur, Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime, with Tsitsipas taking upon Shapovalov and Zverev who plays against de Minaur on an opening day on Friday, January 3. Back in February 2018, Germany became the first country to defeat Australia in the Davis Cup tie in Brisbane since the introduction of the World Group in 1981 and Alexander Zverev wants to extend that run and secure the opening victory for his country at the ATP Cup against the tough opponents.

Nick Kyrgios will try to beat Jan-Lennard Struff in the first match before that potentially exciting clash between Zverev and de Minaur who had battled for three hours and 54 minutes in Brisbane two years ago, with the German prevailing in the deciding fifth set tie break! A lot of things have changed since then and de Minaur is now of the most serious contenders to break into the top-10 in 2020, winning three ATP titles in the season behind us and seeking more of the same in the next 11 months. On the other hand, Zverev managed to finish in the top-10 for the third straight year despite a mediocre 2019 campaign, winning one small title and failing to take the next step at Major tournaments or to stay on a high level at the Masters 1000 events. 

"We are the only ones to have beaten Australia in Brisbane, right?" Zverev said. "There are great memories from that week in 2018. I still remember it and I hope we can take something out of that. We know that we can play well on that court. I hope we can show that again and not only beat Australia but the other countries as well."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Fcoz82