PERTH, Australia (AP) – Roger Federer found himself overmatched – just – by a younger and stronger-serving opponent on Wednesday, losing 7-6 (1), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4) to 19-year-old Alexander Zverev of Germany at the Hopman Cup.
The 35-year-old Federer was playing just his second match since returning from a six-month layoff because of a left knee injury. He led 5-2 in the first set, but ran into an opponent whose first-serve percentage exceeded 80 percent midway through the final set of the 2 ½-hour match in the mixed teams tournament.
“I thought we both played really well,” Zverev said of his second career win over Federer. “But I always play unbelievable against him.”
Serving to stay in the match at 5-6, someone in the 13,700-capacity crowd at Perth Arena crowd yelled out: “Let’s have another tiebreaker.”
Non-plussed, Zverev smiled and replied: “What do you think I am trying to do?”