Injured Zverev withdraws as Germany crash

Alexander Zverev

Elena Rybakina's Kazakhstan dumped defending champions Germany out of the United Cup on Wednesday with world number two Alexander Zverev sidelined by an arm injury barely a week away from the Australian Open.

The upset in Perth sent the Kazakhs into the semi-finals of the 18-nation tournament. In Sydney, women's World No. 2 Iga Swiatek led Poland into the last eight by winning a rematch of her 2023 French Open final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova.

Britain also progressed to the quarter-finals with Katie Boulter's dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over Australia's Olivia Gadecki enough to guarantee they won their group.
Sixth-ranked Rybakina earned the first point for Kazakhstan, with the 2022 Wimbledon champion hammering Laura Siegemund 6-3, 6-1.

Zverev then withdrew from his clash against Alexander Shevchenko at the last minute with a bicep strain, leaving the 254th-ranked Daniel Masur to face him. He put up a brave fight but Shevchenko was too strong, powering home 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-2 despite a medical timeout in the second set, complaining about difficulty breathing.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz powered USA, tournament winners two years ago, into the semi-finals of the mixed teams event.

In the first singles match in Perth, Gauff got the ball rolling for her team with a gritty 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over Zhang Shuai. Fritz then made sure of victory by edging a tight contest with Zhang Zhizhen 6-4 6-4.

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