UNITED CUP

January 7, 2024

Torben Beltz

Angelique Kerber

Alexander Zverev

Team Germany

Press Conference

Team Australia - 1

Team Germany - 2

THE MODERATOR: Very quick. Straight into questions.

Q. Give us your emotions on coming through that at -- what was it? -- just after 2:00 a.m. in the end. It was quite an incredible day all around, wasn't it?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, Angie saved our ass today (smiling). So that, I'm very happy about. An incredible match for her. Yeah, also the mixed doubles, obviously so many emotions, so many match points going back and forth. Happy to kind of get there in the end.

Yeah, what can I say? We're in the final. We're happy about that. Team Poland is obviously happier being in bed for the last three hours, but we're happy being in the final (smiling).

Q. Angie, if you could talk about your own, finally getting that singles win, it was a really intense one for you as well, wasn't it, to start the day?

ANGELIQUE KERBER: Yeah, I mean, I'm really happy to won my first single match here. That was really intense. I saved two match points as well. Playing against Ajla, it's always a tough battle, especially here in Australia. I'm very happy about my performance and, yeah, proud about my team with the mixed. I mean, a lot of emotions tonight, and hopefully we will get a fast recovery.

Q. Could you give your thoughts on facing Iga Swiatek then tomorrow.

ANGELIQUE KERBER: You know, I think I have nothing to lose, especially, I mean, like Sascha said, I think they are already in bed and we just on our way to the hotel. I think we will have treatment as well still, so it will be a short night.

You know, I go out there and try to play good tennis and we will see (smiling).

Q. Your thoughts on facing Hubi. Obviously a very different challenge to what you faced out there today.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, but today I thought was an incredible match, to be honest. I feel this is the best Alex has played against me. Probably he has played great matches in his career, but against me, from what I can judge, it was the best match that he's played. He's in unbelievable form.

To be honest, yeah, I lost, but of course that hurts, of course, especially losing back-to-back serves in the end of the second and in the beginning of the third where all tournament long I've only lost serve once, that was kind of a lack of focus, maybe I lost focus in a way, and the match kind of ran away there for me.

But yeah, facing Hubi is obviously very different to very big servers. I think probably a lot less running than we did with Alex today, a lot less long rallies, but I'm looking forward to it, I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Of course maybe I'm a bit more tired than him, I would imagine. But yeah, it's going to be a tough one. I think Poland is the favorite no matter who they play, with Iga and Hubi. I mean, Iga is basically a cheat code at the United Cup a little bit, or has been so far. Hopefully we can change that tomorrow. Yeah, we're excited to be in the final.

Q. Sascha, you just said the Alex you played out there tonight was the best you've played. I was looking at the record before, I think you were 6-1 against him?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: The best he's played against me, yeah.

Q. Yeah, that's what I mean. What's changed, do you think? What surprised you while you were out there?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Usually he's taking his backhand super, super early. He always does that, always did that in his career. He's changing a lot of direction.

But he did exactly the same with his forehand today. His forehand has always been probably the shakier shot, and today it wasn't. It was the better shot.

That surprised me. His serve surprised me. His second serve especially surprised me. It was going 160, 165 kilometers an hour, which never used to be the case. His second serve was always kind of a weak spot.

But, yeah, I mean, he played amazing. He beat Novak in straight sets a few days ago. He beat me today. He's in very good form, and he's very dangerous at the moment.