The first of the two Australian teams wasted little time in brushing aside their inferior opponents as Australia Green dismantled the Germans in a 3-0 win to open the Hopman Cup.  After Daria Gavrilova had dominated Sabine Lisicki in a straight sets win, Nick Kyrgios had to recover from a set down as he defeated Alexander Zverev, before the rout was completed with a tie break win in the mixed doubles.  

Gavrilova proves too good for an erratic Lisicki 

One could be forgiven for thinking Gavrilova to be the higher ranked of the two in the opening match as the recently turned Australian simply outplayed Lisicki in a convincing 6-2 6-2 win. Securing revenge for her defeat in last year's French Open, their only previous meeting, the Russian-born Gavrilova broke her opponent four times and needed just over an hour to kick her season off in the best possible way. 

Daria Gavrilova proved too good for her depleted opponent (Source: Tennis.com)
Daria Gavrilova proved too good for her depleted opponent (Source: Tennis.com)

Lisicki, meanwhile, looked hugely sub-par, with her whole game erratic and her usually thunderous serve not hitting the high notes. In her defence, she was a huge doubt to even play in the Hopman Cup due to illness and injury during December, but she will need to seriously up her game if she is to reach the latter stages of grand slams again. 

Instead, it was the 'nervous' Gavrilova who warmed herself to her new nation in the best of ways.  

Perfect start for Kyrgios as he looks to lose the 'bad-boy' tag

Although usually known more for what he said rather than did during 2015, Nick Kyrgios got his new year off to the perfect start as he looks to lose his tag.  Depsite losing the opening set, the Australian called upon all of his explosive talent as he eventually overcame the spirited game of Zverev to seal a 4-6 6-1 6-4 victory and the tie for Australia Green.  

In their first ever meeting, the young German got off to the perfect start, with the youngest player in the top 100 battling to the opening set over a frustrated Kyrgios. 

So often has Kyrgios turned frustration into tantrum or pettiness, however on this occasion  he instead turned it into powerful tennis as he romped to the second set in next to no time, with Zverev stunned. 

The win would be sealed and ultimately the tie as Kyrgios battled to the third and final set.  Full of nothing but praise for his talented opponent after the match, it was the perfect way for the Australian to start the year and the perfect style. 

The scoring was complete when the Aussies battled to a three sets win in the mixed doubles, winning the deciding tie break 10-7 for a 6-3 4-6 10-7 win.  

Australia Green next face Great Britain on Wednesday with the Brits beginning their campaign on Monday against the hotly fancied French, who play the Germans in their second match.  

Stay tuned to VAVEL for all the latest on the Hopman Cup and the whole of the 2016 tennis season 

If you want any more info on the teams in the Hopman Cup, check out our preview here: https://www.vavel.com/en/tennis/583285-hopman-cup-the-nations-descend-on-oz-as-the-tennis-season-nears.html

VAVEL Logo
About the author
Jack Haugh
Freelance sports writer, specialising in tennis.