SYDNEY: Rusty former global quantity two Alexander Zverev crashed to defeat Saturday in his first ATP fit since tearing ankle ligaments on the French Open in june.
The two-time ATP Finals champion hit 8 double faults in dropping 6-4, 6-2 to the 81st-ranked Jiri Lehecka at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena to present the Czech Republic a 1–0 lead of their tie towards Germany.
It used to be Zverev’s first aggressive fit since tearing 3 proper ankle ligaments all the way through his Roland Garros semi-final towards Rafael Nadal, when he left court docket in a wheelchair.
A deliberate go back on the Davis Cup in September got here up brief when Zverev pulled out after experiencing “extreme pain”.
The Olympic champion, who has dropped to twelve on the planet from a career-high two ahead of his harm, used to be obviously nonetheless suffering towards Lehecka.
He fended off wreck issues at 2-3 within the first set however a double fault at 4-5 passed the Czech set level and he grabbed the chance, changing with a lob.
The German labored two wreck issues within the first recreation of the second one set, however blew the danger with some wayward pictures.
With his serve no longer firing, he used to be damaged to head 3-1 at the back of and in spite of breaking instantly again could not maintain the force with any other double fault, serving to Lehecka pass 2-4 in entrance and there used to be no long ago.
“I knew before the match that he didn’t play for a while but with a player like this, it can of course mean nothing,” stated Lehecka, 21, after one among his greatest wins.
“I was able to show up in crucial moments. All the experience from last year, losing to good players, gave me the confidence to play against a player like him.”
The Czechs misplaced their opening tie within the match — a brand new 18-country mixed-teams tournament being held in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney — to the United States 4–1. Germany have been making their first look.
Spain’s 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal and Polish ladies’s global primary Iga Swiatek play later.
World quantity two Nadal opens Saturday’s 2d consultation in Sydney towards Britain’s Cameron Norrie, ranked 14. They have performed 4 occasions ahead of, with Norrie but to win.
Swiatek, who has led the scores for 39 weeks, faces Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena, having gained their most effective earlier assembly in instantly units.
The two-time ATP Finals champion hit 8 double faults in dropping 6-4, 6-2 to the 81st-ranked Jiri Lehecka at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena to present the Czech Republic a 1–0 lead of their tie towards Germany.
It used to be Zverev’s first aggressive fit since tearing 3 proper ankle ligaments all the way through his Roland Garros semi-final towards Rafael Nadal, when he left court docket in a wheelchair.
A deliberate go back on the Davis Cup in September got here up brief when Zverev pulled out after experiencing “extreme pain”.
The Olympic champion, who has dropped to twelve on the planet from a career-high two ahead of his harm, used to be obviously nonetheless suffering towards Lehecka.
He fended off wreck issues at 2-3 within the first set however a double fault at 4-5 passed the Czech set level and he grabbed the chance, changing with a lob.
The German labored two wreck issues within the first recreation of the second one set, however blew the danger with some wayward pictures.
With his serve no longer firing, he used to be damaged to head 3-1 at the back of and in spite of breaking instantly again could not maintain the force with any other double fault, serving to Lehecka pass 2-4 in entrance and there used to be no long ago.
“I knew before the match that he didn’t play for a while but with a player like this, it can of course mean nothing,” stated Lehecka, 21, after one among his greatest wins.
“I was able to show up in crucial moments. All the experience from last year, losing to good players, gave me the confidence to play against a player like him.”
The Czechs misplaced their opening tie within the match — a brand new 18-country mixed-teams tournament being held in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney — to the United States 4–1. Germany have been making their first look.
Spain’s 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal and Polish ladies’s global primary Iga Swiatek play later.
World quantity two Nadal opens Saturday’s 2d consultation in Sydney towards Britain’s Cameron Norrie, ranked 14. They have performed 4 occasions ahead of, with Norrie but to win.
Swiatek, who has led the scores for 39 weeks, faces Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena, having gained their most effective earlier assembly in instantly units.
