Zverev Ready To Start 2026 Fresh At The United Cup

Alexander Zverev, Eva Lys
Team Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Eva Lys (photo: Tennis Australia/James Gourley)

SYDNEY/WASHINGTON, January 3, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

Looking back, Alexander Zverev didn’t have the kind of year in 2025 that he wanted to have. He had issues with his body and endured ankle and shoulder injuries that hampered his performance throughout the entire season. Now, with the 2026 season just arrived, the World No. 3 from Germany is ready to start the new year fresh – both in body and in mind.

What better place to be, he feels, than at the United Cup in Australia.

“For me, finishing [Number] 3 in the world, with the issues that I had, I feel like looking back at it, it’s still something to be proud of,” Zverev said Friday during Team Germany’s pre-tournament news conference in Sydney.

“Of course, it wasn’t the season that I wanted to have. There weren’t the titles that I wanted to have, the big titles especially. Again, with the issues that I had, with everything that was happening, to finish No. 3 in the world I feel like still is a good thing.”

The 28-year-old Zverev compiled a 57-25 win-loss record last season and won his only title at Munich on clay in April. He was a finalist three times – Australian Open, Stuttgart, Vienna – and reached the semifinals in four other tournaments. As he begins the new ATP Tour season, he’s ranked No. 3 behind World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 2 Jannik Sinner, whom he went a combined 0-5 against in 2025.

“Of course, No. 1 and 2 are quite far ahead, which was not the case at the end of 2024, when I finished No. 2 in the world.

“But yeah, I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do, but so does the rest of the tour.”

Zverev and Team Germany are just two years removed from their only United Cup title, which they won in 2024 over Poland. Zverev and Laura Siegemund are the only holdovers from that title team. While Siegemund is expected to to play mixed doubles, 40th-ranked Eva Lys will represent the Germans in women’s singles when they face the Netherlands on Sunday afternoon and Poland Monday evening.

Team Germany’s roster also includes: Kevin Krawietz, Mina Hodzic and Patrick Zahraj. The entire team enjoyed a chance to bond Friday afternoon during a visit to the famous Wylie’s Baths near Coogee Beach.

“I feel like it’s best start to me into the season, especially with the United Cup,” said Lys, 23, who will face Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands and World No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland in Group F play in her first two matches of the season. “I feel like we have a great team. To be in a team like that for me is also a great experience to, as Sascha said, get the vibes in.

“Yeah, I’m very excited for the next days. … I love the county, I love the people. Every time, I feel comfortable on and off the court. I just play my best tennis.”

Meanwhile, Zverev hopes to get his season off to a positive start in Sydney. He will be opposed by 26th-ranked Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands and No. 72 Hubert Hurkacz of Poland in group play.

“That I have two guaranteed matches is not the reason I’m here, to be honest,” Zverev said, “because I feel like if I would have gone to Brisbane or somewhere else, I most likely also would have more than two matches, I would hope.

“But just being here with the team, just being in this great atmosphere, I think we all get along very, very well. Just starting the year on a positive note, I think it’s important for all of us.

“Yeah, having fun along the way is also quite important, because I feel like we’re going to play a lot of regular tournaments during the year. I think a team event is always something very nice.”

After Friday’s refreshing swim in Wylie’s Baths, Zverev put everything into perspective. He said: “We’re looking forward to, hopefully, a fantastic 10 days and I don’t see why we can’t [win] it again.”

 

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A day of upsets in both Sydney and Perth

Day 2 of the United Cup will be remembered for the upsets that took place, both in Sydney and in Perth. There were plenty of memorable ones.

It started on Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney, when China’s Zhang Zhizhen, ranked 410th after missing much of last season with a shoulder injury, went the distance to defeat No. 42 Zizou Bergs of Belgium, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 7-5, in back of 12 aces, and was followed by Norwegian Casper Ruud’s straight-set victory over Alex de Minaur of Australia, 6-3, 6-3, in a battle between the World No. 12 and World No. 7 players.

In Western Australia, on RAC Arena in Perth, 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland, who is beginning his final year on the ATP Tour before retiring, gutted out a three-hour and 18-minute three-set win over 29th-ranked Arthur Rinderknech of France, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5), and concluded with Argentina’s Sebastian Baez defeat of World No. 6 Taylor Fritz of the United States, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, in two hours and 33 minutes for the 45th-ranked Argentine’s win over the America in six tries.

”I would have loved a quicker win, but no, you know, this is why I keep playing,” the 157th-ranked Wawrinka said during his team’s post-match news conference. “I’m passionate about the game. I’m always s going to push my own limit.

“I’ve said I’ve been working hard this off-season. Even if it’s my last year, I don’t just want to play. I want to play to compete and play to win.”

 

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China 2, Belgium 1

After World No. 20 Elise Mertens gave Belgium a 1-0 lead with her singles victory, China stormed back to win the next two matches. First, Zhang Zhizhen survived a two-hour, 53-minute three-set thriller to beat Zizou Bergs to level the tie. Then, Zhang and Zhu Lin won the deciding mixed doubles match, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 10-6 over Mertens and Bergs.

“In doubles we just needed to win a set plus a super tie-break,” Zhang said. “We just really [used] the first set to try to play more and to try more things in the service games and then to be prepared for the second set and hopefully the third set.”

Zhu added: “It was the first time we’ve played mixed doubles together and thank you to Triple Z, I got a good partner today. He just played a three-hour match and then continued to play mixed doubles with me. It wasn’t easy. It was a great performance today and thank you for all the crowd and for the support, it really means a lot to us.” 

Australia 2, Norway 1

With their tie level at 1-all, following an Australian victory by Storm Hunter – substituting for Australian No. 1 Maya Joint – over Malene Helgø, and World No. 12 Casper Ruud’s straight-set win over World No. 7 Alex de Minaur, in which he saved all five break points he faced, it came down to mixed doubles. In the early hours of Sunday morning in Sydney, the 31-year-old Hunter and John-Patrick Smith rallied to beat Norway’s Viktor Durasovic and Ulrikke Eikeri, 4-6, 6-1, 10-4, to win the deciding point and secure Australia’s victory over Norway.

“Yeah, super, super happy,” Hunter said during her team’s post-match news conference. “Just glad that I could do my part tonight. Just wanted to go out there and, yeah, give it a good crack. 

“Wearing the green and gold is something that you don’t take lightly, and I really wanted to do my best for the team, and really happy to come away with two wins tonight and keep us alive going forward on Tuesday [against Czechia].”

Switzerland 3, France 0

World No. 11 Belinda Bencic and 157th-ranked Stan Wawrinka provided a 1-2 punch for Switzerland, which swept France 3-0 in their Group C opener. After Bencic eased past No. 103 Leolia Jeanjean, 6-2, 6-4, Wawrinka stepped up and rallied for a 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) victory over No. 29 Arthur Rinderknech to clinch the tie. Later, Bencic and Jakub Paul completed the shutout with a 6-2, 5-7, 10-2 victory over Edouard-Roger Vasselin and Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajao.

“It’s amazing to start the year like this for me,” Wawrinka said during his on-court interview, after securing his first win in what he announced in December would be his final year on the ATP Tour. “It’s my first time in Perth. A lot of support today, so it was an amazing feeling to play such a difficult match A tough condition, of course. More than three hours, so doesn’t help, but super happy with the fight, with the performance, and to help the Swiss team to get to 2-0 up.”

Meanwhile, Bencic is picking up where she left off in 2025 after winning WTA Comeback Player of the Year. “Last year, we didn’t expect it to go so well,” she said, after starting her first full season after returning from maternity leave ranked No. 421. “Of course, I don’t think the work is done yet. I’m extremely happy to receive the Comeback Player of the Year award, and now it’s time to do more work and try to get better.”

United States 2, Argentina 1

After Argentina’s Sebastian Baez withstood 23 services aces to pull off a comeback three-set victory over World No. 6 Taylor Fritz of the United States, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, World No. 3 Coco Gauff steadied matters for the Americans in their Group A opener. She converted six of 10 break points and easily defeated No. 66 Solana Sierra, 6-1, 6-1, in 57 minutes.

Then, Gauff returned to the RAC Arena court with mixed doubles partner Christian Harrison and the American duo combined for a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Guido Andreozzi and Maria Lourdes Carle in 62 minutes, outpointing the Argentines 58-38.

“I feel like I can play even better too, which is even more exciting,” Gauff said during her on-court interview. “It’s always tough starting the first match of the season, especially against an opponent like her and someone who played yesterday. I’m really happy with how I managed all those emotions.”

Earlier, the 45th-ranked Baez’s victory over Fritz was his first one in six career head-to-head meetings. He saved eight of 11 break points, converted four of eight chances and outpointed Fritz 105-104.

“I am so happy right now,” Baez said in his on-court interview. “We have been searching for this feeling for many years and I am happy to give this point to Argentina. Thank you to the crowd. I felt very comfortable today.”

Saturday’s United Cup results 

Sunday’s United Cup schedule

By the numbers

The victory by China’s Zhang Zhizhen over Zizou Bergs of Belgium was his first since September at Hangzhou. It was also his first Top 50 win since defeating No. 20 Hubert Hurkacz of Poland in the second round at Marseilles last year. He’s now 3-4 at the United Cup, following previous wins over No. 31 Jiri Lehecka of Czechia in 2024 and No. 109 Thiago Monteiro of Brazil.

“Quotable …”

“For me, it’s also great. Sometimes even a bit surreal. You know, you have Stan Wawrinka coaching you on the bench. Of course, the first time in Brisbane when we played, I was quite nervous when he was watching, but now it’s okay. He’s supporting a lot. It’s just the energy of all the bench actually that is just really nice when you are playing.”

– Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, during her team’s post-match news conference after defeating France 3-0, on Stan Wawrinka’s dual role of player and team captain.

 

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