Tsitsipas defeats Zverev

On day three of the inaugural 24-nation team event in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, World No.11 David Goffin was another loser, along with Italy’s Fabio Fognini, ranked one place below him. Greece’s Tsitsipas was in a different league to Zverev, who only began hitting balls a week ago after an off-season which was curtailed by a lucrative exhibition tour.

The lacklustre German World No.7 sent down 10 double faults and made just 45 percent of his first serves. He had lost to Australia’s Alex de Minaur in his opening match on Friday, throwing away a one-set lead. Although the youngster won the match, Greece lost the tie 1-2.

The Grigor Dimitrov-led Bulgaria won its second tie in a row, beating Moldova 2-1, to be in a commanding position in Group C. Australia also made it two-out-of-two in Group F with De Minaur again on fire in its 3-0 sweep of Canada. Belgium’s Goffin saved five match points against Dan Evans, but it was too little, too late as he crashed to a 4-6, 4-6 loss in Sydney.

Jamie Murray and Joe Salisbury won the deciding doubles duel to secure the tie for Britain 2-1. Fognini was beaten in Perth by emerging Norwegian Casper Ruud, who claimed his second big scalp after upsetting American John Isner in his first match on Friday. Ruud won 6-2, 6-2, although it wasn’t enough to prevent Norway losing 1-2 to Italy.