Alexander Zverev beat Stan Wawrinka 6-4 6-1 in 1 hour and 36 minutes to draw Germany level with Switzerland to 1-1 in the Davis Cup Qualifier in Trier.
Zverev scored his second win in eight months. The German player had lost three of his four matches in Australia since his come-back from his ligament ankle injury.
Zverev earned his first break in the fourth game to draw level to 3-1 lead. Wawrinka broke straight back in a five-deuce fifth game to draw level to 3-3. Zverev sealed the first set in the 10th game with his second break, when Wawrinka sent a forehand into the tramlines after a 17-shot rally.
Zverev earned two breaks on the fourth amd sixth games to race out to a 5-1 lead before serving out the match at deuce in the seventh game.
“I think I played a lot more aggressive and maybe Stan’s spirit went down a little bit, but in the end I picked up my level and I am very happy with that. I think it’s important to go into tomorrow’s ties with a 1-1 scoreline. Obviously I am very happy with my game. I think that was the best match since my injury. It’s going in a positive way. I hope I can continue progressing”, said Zverev.
Earlier today Marc Andrea Huesler came back from one set down to beat Oscar Otte 2-6 6-2 6-4 in the opening match.
Otte broke twice in the second and eighth games to close out the first set 6-2. Huesler bounced back to clinch the second set 6-2 with two breaks in the first and fifth games.
Huesler earned a break in the fifth game of the third set to take a 3-2 lead. Otte converted his third break-back point in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3 lead. Huesler broke for the second time in the seventh game and saved two break points to hold serve at deuce in the eighth game. The Swiss player served out the win at deuce in the 10th game.
Hungary vs France 1-1
Hungary’s Zsombor Piros upset Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 in the opening singles rubber before Davis Cup rookie Ugo Humbert edged Marton Fucsovics 6-3 6-2 to level the score to 1-1.
Piros had recorded the biggest win of his career in 2021, when he beat Marin Cilic in the 2021 Davis Cup Finals.
Piros came back from 1-3 0-40 on his serve to win five consecutive games in the second set to seal the win.
“It’s one of my biggest victories and to have this in front of the home crowd makes it more precious. The second set was a miracle escape, I realy don’t know how I did it”, said Piros.
In the second match Humbert earned his first break in the fourth game to win the first set 6-3. Humbert earned two breaks in the third and fifth games to close out the second set 6-2.
Fabian Maroszan and Mate Valkusz will take on Nicholas Mahut and Arthur Rinderknech in the crucial doubles match on Saturday.
“The first match was tough. Benjamin Bonzi was a little bit slower than usual. In the second match with Ugo, it was the opposite. Ugo was very aggressive on the first points, putting a lot of pressure on Marton. It was a perfect match for his debut in Davis Cup”, said French captain Sebastien Grosjean.
