Kerber masters her successful comeback with Zverev

Angelique Kerber loses her first match, but together with Alexander Zverev she turns up the heat. She makes a successful comeback on the tennis tour at the United Cup. The 35-year-old is happy - and receives great praise from her match partner.

Angelique Kerber grinned loosely and threw her arms around the neck of her doubles partner Alexander Zverev - then the two tennis stars cheered exuberantly with the German team. Kerber celebrated a successful return to the tennis tour after taking a year and a half off to have a baby. The three-time Grand Slam winner beat Italy 2:1 with her teammates to kick off the United Cup.

"We are very happy. Angie played unbelievably after the long break. That shows what kind of player she is," said Zverev, praising the 35-year-old, who was delighted with a "special day". "It feels great to win a match again," said Kerber.

Germany had initially trailed 0:1 after Kerber's 4:6, 5:7 singles defeat to Jasmine Paolini, but Olympic champion Zverev got the team back on track with a 6:7 (5:7), 6:3, 6:4 win over Lorenzo Sonego in the second singles match of the day. In the decisive mixed doubles match, Kerber/Zverev won 6:3, 6:0 against Sonego and Angelica Moratelli and took a big step towards the quarter-finals of the United Cup.

Kerber last played a match on the tour in Wimbledon in the summer of 2022. She gave birth to her daughter Liana in February 2023 and has been working hard on her return ever since.

"You can't expect anything"

"You can't expect anything - she's been out for over a year. It will take a bit of time," national coach Barbara Rittner told the SID before the match, but Kerber was certainly competitive at the start. She took an early lead against the world number 97 before losing the thread a little midway through the first set.

In front of her recalled long-term coach Torben Beltz, who is the team captain of the German team in Australia, Kerber also had major problems with her serve in the second round - she conceded a total of six breaks in the intense match. She was unable to take advantage of a weak phase in Paolini's game, who suffered from calf cramps in the second round.

Zverev, who is now aiming for the big titles again in the new season, also struggled at the beginning against the world number 46 Sonego and lost the first set after a tight tie-break. However, he fought his way back in an intense match at a good level and was finally able to celebrate.

Specialist Siegemund withdrawn

In the final doubles match, the German team surprisingly dispensed with specialist Laura Siegemund and opted for Kerber alongside Zverev. It paid off. After initial difficulties, the duo dominated their opponents, winning eleven games in a row and securing their opening success.

The mixed nations competition is being held for the second time as the season opener. 18 teams will compete in Perth and Sydney. The top teams in each of the six groups of three and the two best runners-up in the preliminary round will qualify for the quarter-finals of the ten-million-dollar tournament at the beginning of January. On New Year's morning, France await the German team in the battle for a place in the top eight.

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Kerber and Zverev celebrated their doubles victory together, with Kerber expressing her joy at making a successful comeback to tennis after a break to have a baby. In the team's opening match of the United Cup, Kerber, despite losing her singles match, contributed to Germany's victory with her strong performance in doubles alongside Zverev.

Source: www.ntv.de