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Australia vs Germany, Davis Cup first round tie, day one in Brisbane

ALEX De Minaur’s Davis Cup match with Alex Zverev was turned on its head by a controversial moment of crowd interference.

Tyson OttoTyson Otto
@tottodtsport
4 min read
February 2, 2018 - 5:41PM
Alex de Minaur was in a five-set war.
Alex de Minaur was in a five-set war.

BRAVE Alex De Minaur has fallen agonisingly short of a Davis Cup win for Australia, beaten in a fifth set tie-break to world No. 5 Alex Zverev.

The spirited Aussie teenager’s opening match of the tie exploded after a controversial moment of crowd interference in the fourth set.

He had his neck in front before the incident, which saw Zverev angrily complain to the chair umpire. It proved to be the turning point of the match.

The German star eventually prevailed 7-5 4-6 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-4) after a dramatic, rollercoaster fifth set.

The Aussie talent was up two sets to one before heckling from a section of the crowd inside the Queensland Tennis Centre triggered a dramatic, angry fightback from Zverev.

The match headed into the fifth set before De Minaur scored an early break to lead 3-0.

Zverev rallied again to level the match at 6-6.

Changes to Davis Cup rules in 2018 mean that fifth sets are now decided by tie-breaks.

Zverev showed his class when he needed it the most in the breaker, coming up with four big first serves before getting the mini-break to go up 5-3.

He went on to smack two more booming, unreturnable first serves down the tee — sealing an unforgettable match and handing Germany a 1-0 lead in their first round Davis Cup tie.

De Minaur looked crushed after the match, which was one minute short of ticking over into a fifth hour of play.

Zverev echoed the thoughts of thousands of Aussies watching the incredible match by decaring in his post-match interview: “Australia, you have a good one with him”.

De Minaur might have been able to close it out in the fourth set, before Zverev found another gear after being heckled by the local crowd.

Zverev was on the verge of losing his cool when he stormed to the chair umpire demanding action against a noisy section of fans inside the Queensland Tennis Centre.

Serving at 3-3 in the fourth set, Zverev reacted angrily when fans yelled out when he was in the act of serving.

The fans were identified by Channel 7’s Todd Woodbridge as belonging to the “We The People” cheer squad.

“That is just disrespectful on another level,” Zverev complained to the umpire.

“That’s impossible. I understand they’re cheering. That’s fine. They can be as loud as they want, but they can’t do that.”

Woodbridge said the fans’ actions crossed the line.

“Sascha’s right, it’s one thing to be vocal and supportive. Another thing to be deliberately trying and put the opponent and travelling team off,” Woodbridge said.

“The other thing is you don’t want to wake a sleeping giant.”

That’s exactly what happened.

Zverev pulled off seven points straight to break De Minaur’s next service game to love.

The German had to defend two break points in his next service game, but eventually served out the fourth set 6-3.

Roger Rasheed described the fans’ interference as the trigger that got Zverev back into the tie.

“There was probably what I would call an angry moment from Alexander Zverev,” he said.

“From then on he actually started talking to himself. Getting himself in a really good, energetic frame of mind. He got the job done. And taken it into a fifth set.”

Earlier, De Minaur seized his moment at 2-2 in the second set to break Zverev’s serve before going on to serve out the second set 6-4 in 45 minutes without having to defend a break point.

De Minaur appeared to be in trouble at the start of the third set, where he had to negotiate two break points on his serve down 1-2.

But he held his nerve and then turned the tables on Zverev by breaking at 3-3.

He went on to serve out the set 6-4 in 40 minutes.

The day started on a prickly note when Zverev sensationally had a late crack at troubled Aussie Bernard Tomic.

Zverev questioned Tomic’s commitment before laughing off the former world No. 17’s claim he could return to the sport’s elite this year after an ill-fated reality TV stint.

Team captain Lleyton Hewitt earlier this week said he doubted whether Tomic would play Davis Cup again after the tennis bad boy claimed Australia could not win without him on Network Ten.

Lleyton Hewitt has moved on from Bernard Tomic.
Lleyton Hewitt has moved on from Bernard Tomic.

Hewitt, though, would not bite when Tomic’s controversial yet short-lived stay on Network Ten’s I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here inevitably came up at the Cup tie draw on Thursday.

“We are not going to get into that,” Hewitt said.

Zverev had no problem giving his opinion, initially poking fun at the short duration of Tomic’s stay in the South African jungle for the TV show. Tomic lasted three nights before citing depression and becoming the first person to quit the show.

“He was there for what? Six hours? Something like that,” Zverev laughed.

“It was great fun for the viewers for the one day that it lasted.”

The German No. 1 also doubted whether Tomic — now ranked No.168 — could hit the pointy end of the rankings this year after the TV show disruption.

“Didn’t he say he wanted to be top five by the end of the year, something like that, when he left the jungle camp or whatever you call it?” Zverev said.

“Good luck to him, that’s all I can say.

“But hopefully he can get back to playing tennis and at a good level again.

“Because he has the talent, we all know that, he has shown that on multiple occasions.

“He has to figure out what he wants to do first.”

— with AAP

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/australia-vs-germany-davis-cup-first-round-tie-day-one-in-brisbane/news-story/2802c4015f8adb863ac424c7af333fe3