Agency Report
Title holders Germany were knocked out of the United Cup on Wednesday when they fell 2-1 against Kazakhstan in the quarter-finals in the absence of their injured top tennis player Alexander Zverev.
World number six Elena Rybakina opened the tie in Perth with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory against Laura Siegemund. Alexander Shevchenko clinched the semi-final berth when he rallied to beat the stand-in for Zverev, Daniel Masur, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-2.
“I’m really proud that I found this win for our team, because I was fighting hard. I saw the faces of my team, and they didn’t want to go to a decider. I was also a little bit nervous, because I knew if I won, the tie was over,” Shevchenko said.
Siegemund and Tim Pütz won the dead rubber mixed doubles, 6-2, 6-2, against Zhibek Kulambayeva and Dmitry Popko.
Zverev did not play due to a bicep strain, after winning his matches in the group stage against Brazil and China.
Kazakhstan now travel to Sydney where the semi-finals are played on Saturday and the final on Sunday.
Wednesday’s other quarter-final in Perth is United States v China.
The mixed team United Cup is among tune-up events for the Australian Open in Melbourne, which start on January 12.
