United Cup 2023: World No.2 Rafael Nadal is all set to begin his campaign at the United Cup. The 36-year old will lead Spain in their opening match of the tournament against Great Britain. The match is scheduled to be played on 31st December 2022 and 1st January 2023. Ahead of the contest, Nadal opted to train alongside World No.12 Alexander Zverev. Both the players had a good hit on the practice courts in Sydney. This marked their first meeting on a Tennis court ever since the French Open semifinal in 2022 in which Zverev suffered the gruesome injury to his ankle. Follow United Cup 2023 LIVE updates on InsideSport.IN
United Cup 2023: Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev practice together in Sydney ahead of their opening match in United Cup 2023 – Watch Video
Sascha and Rafa training together @UnitedCupTennis ⚡️⚡️. @AlexZverev @RafaelNadal @ZverevMischa22 #unitedcuptennis #alexanderzverev #RafaelNadal𓃵 #mischazverev pic.twitter.com/E1wtQvvYiv
— World.oftennis🎾 (@WOftennis) December 30, 2022
United Cup posted a video as a story on its Instagram handle that showed the two players on the practice courts in Sydney. Both the players last met in an epic battle in the French Open 2022 semifinal. After Nadal won the first set via a tie-breaker, Zverev took the second set also into the tie-breaker.
The spirited challenge from the German was however cut shot as he awkwardly twisted his ankle and had to be stretchered off the field. The German came back to the court on crutches only to officially withdraw from the contest. Nadal advanced to the final. The Spaniard went on to clinch the title as he defeated Casper Ruud in the summit clash.
Zverev underwent a surgery following the ligament tear on his ankle. It took six months for him to recover as he missed all the other tournaments on the ATP Tour. The United Cup will be his first tour-level tournament since the injury.
Like Nadal, Zverev too will begin his United Cup campaign on Saturday. The German will face Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka in the group stage encounter.
Both the players are not part of the same group in the tournament. Spain find themselves in Group D alongside Great Britain and Australia, Meanwhile, Germany are in Group C that has Czech Republic and USA.
United Cup 2023: Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev practice together in Sydney ahead of their opening match in United Cup 2023 – Watch Video
