29 September 2016 | Tennis West
Teenage sensation Alexander Zverev is returning to Western Australia for the Hopman Cup at Perth Arena from 1 to 7 January 2017.
The 19-year-old won his first professional title on Sunday in explosive fashion, defeating current US Open champion and world No.3 Stan Wawrinka in St Petersburg, Russia.
Zverev, the youngest player to win a professional title since Marin Cilic in 2008, started the 2016 season ranked 83 and now currently sits just outside the world’s top 20 at 24.
He will be joined in Perth by former world No.9 Andrea Petkovic, also making her second Hopman Cup appearance, to represent Germany.
“It’s a great event. Having Hopman Cup as the first event of the year for many players is something very good,” Zverev said.
In six months, the right-hander has beaten three top ten opponents including Roger Federer.
“It is perfect preparation for the Australian Open. You play in similar conditions, you have a great stadium court which is very nice and playing for your country in the first event of the year is something very special,” Zverev continued.
“I always love playing for Germany, I always love wearing the German flag on my chest… It’s something very special playing Hopman Cup.”
Twenty-nine-year-old Petkovic last visited Perth in 2013 when she partnered Tommy Haas.
The current world No.44 holds six career singles titles and has extensive experience playing for Germany. She made her Fed Cup debut in 2007, has since competed in 13 ties and played in her first Olympic Games in Rio in August.
Hopman Cup Tournament Director Paul Kilderry can’t wait to have both players in Perth in January.
“Alexander Zverev is the hottest thing in tennis right now and Andrea Petkovic is one of the most popular players on the tour,” Kilderry said.
“Zverev, a rising star, has had an exceptional year climbing up the rankings and has beaten three top ten players including Federer, Berdych and Wawrinka.
“Germany will be looking to win their third Hopman Cup title in their fourteenth appearance and are definitely ones to watch.”
The 2017 teams announced so far are:
| Switzerland | Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic
Adam Pavlasek and Petra Kvitova Jack Sock and Coco Vandeweghe Alexander Zverev and Andrea Petkovic |
| Czech Republic | |
| United States | |
| Germany |
Teams from Australia, Great Britain, Spain and France will also be represented at Hopman Cup 2017. The full player field will be released in early October.
The 2017 schedule of play can be found here.
All session packages and final tickets are now available to purchase via Ticketek.
Premium ticketing packages are available via hopmancup.com/tickets/corporate-hospitality.
Hopman Cup is the official mixed team competition of the ITF and is proudly supported locally by the State Government, through Tourism WA. The tournament will take place at Perth Arena from 1 to 7 January 2017.
Hopman Cup is part of the Emirates Australian Open Series, which also incorporates Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, Apia International Sydney, Hobart International and World Tennis Challenge (Adelaide).
Hopman Cup multi-session tickets will go on sale to the general public from 12.00 pm AWST Wednesday 5 October; single-session tickets will go sale to the general public from 12.00 pm AWST Wednesday 12 October.
For all tournament information please visit hopmancup.com.
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