By Chris Oddo | Saturday January 5, 2018
Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic powered past Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber to complete a successful Hopman Cup title defense on Saturday in Perth.
The evening started with Federer’s 22nd consecutive win on Australian Soil. Federer eased past Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-2 behind a vintage performance that saw the Swiss never struggle.
Germany’s Kerber countered with a 6-4, 7-6(6) win over Belinda Bencic before Federer and Bencic combined to take a thrilling doubles encounter, 4-0, 1-4, 4-3(4).
Germany had a championship point in the tiebreaker, but it was saved by a Federer backhand volley winner for 4-4.
On the next point Bencic did the honors by putting an end to a 17-stroke rally with a perfectly placed forehand volley that forced a Zverev error.
Federer becomes the first player in Hopman Cup history to win three titles at the event—he won in 2001 with Martina Hingis as well as last season with Bencic.
Bencic and Federer are the first pair to win the event twice.
“It’s great fun,” said Federer. “I’m happy and proud to represent my country, and it’s been a super pleasure doing it this and last year with Belinda, winning it in back-to-back years.”
“I’m very happy about these records of course,” said Federer, “but I didn’t come here for that.”