By Chris Oddo | Saturday February 4, 2018
Alexander Zverev notched a tie-clinching tie for Germany by taking out Nick Kyrgios in straight sets.
Photo Source: Getty
Alexander Zverev has struggled to win the big one at the Grand Slam level.
On Sunday he took a major step towards big-match success by winning the big one for his country.
The World No. 5 rolled past an ornery and fatigued Nick Kyrgios to send Germany past Australian and into the Davis Cup quarterfinals, 6-2, 7-6(3), 6-2.
Zverev, coming off a disappointing loss to Hyeon Chung in the third round at the Australian Open, won both of his singles ties in Brisbane to send the Germans into the Davis Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2014.
Zverev needed just 1:47 to get past Kyrgios, who struggled at times with his injured right elbow and needed to see the trainer seven games into the second set. Things would get worse from there, as Kyrgios failed to convert two set points with Zverev serving in the 12th game of the second set and then lost a point due to a racquet abuse call in a lopsided second-set tiebreaker.
Zverev finished with 16 winners against 14 unforced errors and he saved all four break points he faced, while converting on four of the seven he saw.
“It's awesome, it's an amazing feeling,” Zverev told DavisCup.com. “Thanks to all my teammates, without them it would not be possible. This is just the beginning for us.”
Germany will face either Spain or Great Britain in the quarterfinals.