Germany, the 2024 United Cup champions, made a strong winning start to their campaign in Group F, opening their run in Sydney on Sunday in convincing fashion against the Netherlands, with comfortable wins from both Eva Lys and Alexander Zverev.
The first set, it was tough to get rhythm. Once I got the chances, I did well, and Iâm very happy with the win. I think my serve was all right, to be honest. Everything else was difficult to judge because there wasnât many long rallies, there wasnât really much rhythm, but a win is a win. Alexander Zverev
The Germans were clear favourites by way of rankings, and it was Lys, making her debut in the mixed team competition, who set the tone with an emphatic 6-2 6-2 win over Dutchwoman Suzan Lamens, before Zverev followed with a dominant performance that included a bagel against Tallon Griekspoor, 7-5 6-0.
Lys, the World No 49, finished last year as Germanyâs No 1 player following a break-through season, and the 23-year-old asserted her status from the outset, earning an early break that quickly gave her control, an advantage she did not relinquish.
The Kyiv-born German came into the match having lost her only previous meeting against Lamens at WTA Tour level, which was in 2024 in Osaka, but she remained in command for most of the duration of the match.
After the two traded breaks of serve twice in the first 5 games, Lys won a pair of titanic games to establish a 5-2 lead, and hardly looked back from there.
She had denied Lames a game point to level at 3-3, before breaking on her own 3rd break point in the 6th game, and then dug out a follow-up hold from 15-40 down to lead 5-2.
In all, 9 of the matchâs 14 games went to deuce, but Lys won 7 of them, and the most important one came at 1-1 in the second set with a hold from the German, as she shook off an injury scare.
After taking a medical time-out for blisters when up 5-2 in the opener, she pushed through another tumble that left her shaking out her knee.
Lamens struggled with her serve, landing just 54% of first deliveries and winning only 42% of those points, which was well below Lysâ 74% first-serve percentage and 60% success rate.
Eva Lys beat Suzan Lamens in straight sets to put Germany 1-0 up against the Netherlands in the United Cup at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday
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Lysâ main weakness in the first set was her second serve, with which she won just 22% of points, but she addressed that issue early in the second, and, after saving an early break point and missing a couple of opportunities in the 2nd game, she played with greater confidence, taking control of the rallies and remaining the more consistent against the increasingly erratic Dutchwoman.
âAs soon as I stepped on the court, I saw how many people are watching⊠I was actually quite nervous,â Lys admitted later. âFirst of all, I was definitely running a marathon with Suzan. I definitely was very good on the most important points.
âI feel, like, I played pretty straightforward, and not too aggressive, and I feel, like, that was the key,â she added, saying that her physical issues âcouldâve definitely been worseâ.
A break in the 4th game opened the door for the German, who maintained her lead and eventually closed out the match after navigating a tense final stretch in an hour and 39-minutes.
Lys showed strong composure on the key points, saving 5 of 7 break points and converting 6 of her 13 break opportunities, to put German 1-0 up in the tie.
Alexander Zverev of Germany secured the tie win against the Netherlands with a dominant win over Tallon Griekspoor on Sunday
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The following menâs singles saw Zverev take on Griekspoor in what was expected to be a tricky encounter for the World No 3, against a rival who had beaten him in their previous meetings, including a win for the Dutchman at Indian Wells in 2025, but the German delivered a far more commanding performance this time round, winning the final 8 games in a row to assert his dominance.
The opening stages were very evenly matched, though, with both players holding serve comfortably, and the score reached 5-5 without either man facing a break point, as both posted first-serve winning percentages above 85%.
The turning point came when Griekspoor, under pressure at 5-6, was forced to rely heavily on his second serve, allowing Zverev to capitalise, and the German converted his first break point chance of the match to take the opener, 7-5.
âThe first set, it was tough to get rhythm,â Zverev said in his on-court interview. âOnce I got the chances, I did well, and Iâm very happy with the win.
âI think my serve was all right, to be honest,â he added with a laugh. âEverything else was difficult to judge because there wasnât many long rallies, there wasnât really much rhythm, but a win is a win.â
The second set was one-sided as Zverev raised his level significantly, dominating on serve and dictating play from the baseline.
The German conceded just 7 points in the entire set, while Griekspoor lost all effectiveness on his serve, winning just 2 service points, and failing to mount any real resistance on return.
Zverev sealed the victory with a bagel second set, finishing the match with 15 aces and winning an impressive 89% of points behind his first serve.
The 28-year-old now leads Griekspoor, 9-2, in their head-to-head series.
Alexander Zverev teamed up with Laura Siegemund to give Germany a 3-0 sweep after the Group F mixed doubles against Tallon Griekspoor & Demi Schuurs on Sunday
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The tie secured, 2-0, Zverev teamed up with Laura Siegemund to close out a clean sweep with a 6-3 6-2 mixed-doubles win over Griekspoor & Demi Schuurs.
Germany will take on Poland on Tuesday, in a repeat of the 2024 final, which the champions won, 2-1.
Tallon Griekspoor is also the player captain of of the Netherlands team
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