Duel in Sydney
In the middle of the game: Zverev smashes his racket
January 5, 2026 – 11:05 a.mReading time: 1 min.
Alexander Zverev suffered his first defeat of the year in Sydney. The exceptional German player didn’t like the way it was done.
The first setback for Alexander Zverev in the still young season: At the United Cup in Sydney, the world number three had to admit defeat to Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 3:6, 4:6. It was Zverev’s first defeat this year.
The 28-year-old had a difficult day in the duel against Hurkacz. After losing his serve to make it 3-4 in the second set, Zverev smashed his racket in frustration. Overall, he only had one break chance – Hurkacz, on the other hand, was in strong form in his comeback after knee surgery and hit 21 aces.
Germany had previously won against the Netherlands at the United Cup. If Eva Lys also loses her singles match against Iga Świątek, that would be it for Germany. If Lys wins, there is still a chance to advance through the doubles. The United Cup runs until Sunday and is also the dress rehearsal for the Australian Open in Melbourne, which begins next week.