Tennis news - Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber guide Germany into Hopman Cup final

ByEurosport

Updated 04/01/2019 at 16:08 GMT

Germany will face Switzerland in the Hopman Cup final after Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev were both victorious in beating Australia 2-1 on Friday.

Wimbledon champion Kerber won all three of her round-robin matches against Australia, Spain and France, emulated by Zverev to set up a showdown with the Swiss.

The world No 2 secured an early lead for the Germans by beating Ashleigh Barty 6-4 6-4 in the best-of-three tie.

Kerber, who earlier this week beat Garbine Muguruza and Alize Cornet, broke twice - but also saved four break points in the second set to beat an error-prone Barty.

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ATP Finals winner Zverev then overcame Matt Ebden 6-4 6-3 to complete the win, and Germany's place in Saturday's final.

Zverev broke his opponent’s serve three times - the first coming in the third game of the first set after some aggressive tennis.

Switzerland, who are the defending champions, remain favourites with matches to come against Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic a repeat of the 2018 final.

After his victory, Zverev fired a warning to world No 3 Federer, saying: "Hopefully I can do it a little different and give Roger a better match than I did last year.

Zverev dominates Ebden to seal spot in Hopman Cup final

“It is going to be very exciting and I am hoping it is going to be as exciting as last year but just going the other way.”

Zverev, who beat Federer in the semi-finals of the ATP Finals last November, added: “Angie shouldn’t do much different because she won the singles match last year so I take the blame all on me.

“We only got to the final last year because of Angie. I actually didn’t do much.

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“I just played mixed, stood in the corner and watched her return all of the guys’ serves. I didn’t know what I was actually doing."

In an entertaining mixed doubles clash, it was the Australians who came out on top with Ebden and Barty winning 4-0 4-3 - but they will not be adding to their two Hopman Cup titles this year.

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