(Sydney) Former world number two Alexander Zverev lost heavily on Saturday in his first ATP match since tearing ankle ligaments at Roland-Garros in June.
The two-time ATP champion committed eight double faults and lost 6-4, 6-2 to Jiri Lehecka (81e World Cup) in Sydney, giving the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead against Germany in the United Cup, a new event between mixed teams and the first competition of the 2023 tennis season.
It was Zverev’s first official match since tearing three ligaments in his right ankle in his French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal, and leaving the court in a wheelchair.
A planned return to the Davis Cup in September fell through when Zverev pulled out after feeling “extreme pain”.
The Olympic champion, who fell in the 12e world place, while he occupied the 2e place before his injury, was clearly still struggling against Lehecka.
He fended off break points at 2-3 in the first set, but a double fault at 4-5 gave the Czech a set point, who seized the opportunity and converted it with a lob.
The German got two break points in the first game of the second set, but missed his chance with misplaced shots. Despite a strong comeback, he couldn’t keep up the pressure and double faulted again, allowing Lehecka to take the lead 2-4.
“I knew before the game that he hadn’t played for a while, but with a player like him that doesn’t mean anything,” Lehecka, 21, said after one of his biggest wins.
“I was able to show myself in crucial moments. All the experience of last year, losing against good players, gave me the confidence to play against a player like him,” he added.
The Czechs lost their opener in the tournament – a new mixed 18-country event held in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney – to the United States 4-1.
Germany made its first appearance there.
The Spaniard Nadal, 22 times titled in Grand Slam tournaments, and the Polish Iga Swiatek, the women’s world number one, will play later.
World number two Nadal opens Saturday’s second session in Sydney against 14-ranked Briton Cameron Norriee. They have faced each other four times already, but Norrie hasn’t won.
Swiatek, who has topped the standings for 39 weeks, takes on Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in Brisbane, having won their only previous encounter in straight sets.