ATP Tour

Zverev begins 2026 season with win, clinches tie for Germany

Alexander Zverev clinched Germany’s victory against The Netherlands on Sunday at the United Cup in Sydney, where the World No. 3 defeated Tallon Griekspoor 7-5, 6-0. Zverev’s win came after Germany’s Eva Lys downed Suzan Lamens earlier in Group F action.

The server held the advantage for the early portion of Zverev and Griekspoor’s clash until the German seized a crucial opportunity by breaking to love at 6-5 to take the opening set. Playing his first match of 2026, Zverev produced a high level and rarely looked back, having dropped just seven points in the second set.

“The first set, it was tough to get rhythm,” Zverev said in his on-court interview. “Once I got the chances, I did well and I’m very happy with the win.

“I think my serve was all right, to be honest,” he added with a laugh. “Everything else was difficult to judge because there wasn’t many long rallies, there wasn’t really much rhythm, but a win is a win.”

The 28-year-old now leads Griekspoor 9-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, marking the second time Zverev has earned nine tour-level wins against a single opponent (Zverev leads Adrian Mannarino 9-0).

A determined Lys launched the 2024 United Cup champions off to a strong start by defeating Lamens 6-2, 6-2.

Lys came into the tilt having lost her only match against Lamens at WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz level in 2024 in Osaka, but was in command for almost the duration of the first match for both countries at this year's competition, which doubled as Lys’ first career United Cup match.

Pure brilliance from Lys and Lamens here 👏 pic.twitter.com/mBUOyAxtBr

— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 4, 2026

After trading breaks twice in the first five games, Lys won a pair of crucial games to establish a 5-2 lead and hardly looked back. She denied Lamens a game point to level at 3-3 before breaking on her third break point of the sixth game, and secured a follow-up hold despite trailing 15/40.

That was a microcosm of the one hour, 39-minute clash. Nine of the match's 14 games went to deuce, and Lys won seven of them. Perhaps the most important game was a 1-1 hold from the German in the second set, during which she shook off an injury scare. After taking a medical timeout for blisters when leading 5-2 in the opener, Lys pushed through another tumble that left her shaking out her knee.

"As soon as I stepped on the court, I saw how many people are watching... I was actually quite nervous," Lys said. "First of all, I was definitely running a marathon with Suzan. I definitely was very good on the most important points.

"I feel like I played pretty straightforward and not too aggressive, and I feel like that was the key," she added, saying that her physical issues, "could've definitely been worse”.

Zverev and Laura Siegemund closed the tie with a 6-3, 6-2 mixed-doubles victory against Griekspoor and Demi Schuurs, earning a clean sweep for Germany.