Strange Djokovic revenge act during upset loss

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Alexander Zverev ramped up his awesome instrumentality from superior wounded by upsetting Novak Djokovic successful consecutive sets astatine the World Tennis League connected Wednesday (AEDT).

German weapon Zverev has lone conscionable returned to the tribunal aft a seven-month layoff, having snapped 3 ligaments successful his ankle astatine Roland-Garros and past suffering a bony edema successful his close foot.

But the satellite No.12 showed helium volition beryllium a superior contender to triumph his archetypal expansive slam astatine adjacent month's Australian Open, riding a ascendant service to bushed Djokovic 6-3, 6-4.

Watch Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek successful the World Tennis League from December 20-25. Every lucifer streaming ad-free, unrecorded and exclusive connected Stan Sport

Zverev's triumph helped unafraid a 35-27 squad triumph for the Hawks arsenic teammate Elena Rybakina bushed Aryna Sabalenka.

While the tennis was highly competitive, the 2 stars besides recovered clip to indulge successful immoderate comedy.

Zverev drilled a shot into Djokovic's thorax successful what commentator Robbie Koenig said was "a deadly close changeable from Zverev."

Djokovic past pretended to instrumentality fire astatine Zverev, who graciously bent implicit and allowed the smiling Serbian to deed the shot mildly astatine his buttocks.

The brace past embraced.

Djokovic volition present reset for a blockbuster rematch of the Wimbledon last against Australia's Nick Kyrgios connected Thursday (AEDT).

Kyrgios mislaid his opening singles lucifer to Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime.

"The squad that has my oculus is decidedly Novak and the Falcons," Kyrgios said earlier the tournament.

"I can't hold to travel up against them and I tin warrant an Eagles win."

That remark mightiness person been lingua successful feature arsenic Kyrgios besides precocious conceded that Djokovic remained the benchmark successful hardcourt tennis.

"Djokovic is truthful ascendant that unless idiosyncratic truly elevates their level astatine the Australian Open oregon US Open, I can't spot him losing. (Daniil) Medvedev could possibly bushed him.

"Look I'd emotion to triumph 1 - but, realistically, he's truthful dominant."

Kyrgios underarm service backfires

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