Zverev’s team played Australia yesterday and it proved a problematic match-up for the German, who was beaten by Thanasi Kokkinakis in three sets.
Federer meanwhile has breezed through the week, setting up his Swiss team for win on each of his three occasions with routine straight sets wins.
The 36-year-old beat Yuichi Sugita, Karen Khachanov and Jack Sock to show impressive form while his Australian Open rivals are almost all struggling with injury.
Express Sport brings you all the action from his match in Perth today, where he will likely face his toughest test of the year so far.
Roger Federer vs Alexander Zverev LIVE
(* denotes next to serve)
*Federer 6-7, 6-0, 0-1 Zverev
An important hold to start the decider for Zverev, his first game in nearly half an hour.
Federer 6-7, 6-0 Zverev*
Love hold, minimal fuss and 22 minutes after losing the first set, Roger is level. Game on. Federer wins the second set 6-0.
Question now is whether Zverev can recover his composure and his level.
*Federer 6-7, 5-0 Zverev
Dear oh dear. Federer forces two break points but only needs one and the Swiss will serve for a lesser-spotted bagel against a world No 4…
Federer 6-7, 4-0 Zverev*
Credit to Zverev, who recovers from his mini-strop to force a break point of his own, leaning on the forehand. However, Federer saves it and maintains his advantage.
*Federer 6-7, 3-0 Zverev
Federer is ruthless and Zverev is riled. After an overruled line call, Zverev is forced to re-serve – and at break point too. The German has a long “conversation” with the umpire before and after the point. Either way, Federer breaks again.
Federer 6-7, 2-0 Zverev*
A love hold to consolidate the break. Very Federer, very good.
*Federer 6-7, 2-0 Zverev
Some unbelievable tennis from Federer here. First, one of those reflex backhand passes that somehow lands in the court, and then a low, angled forehand volley that puts him in position to bring up two break points.
Another nailed backhand saves the first one but after a weak return, Zverev misses the put-away forehand and Federer breaks.
FIRST SET TIE-BREAK
Wow. Federer misses an absolute sitter at the net after a cat-and-mouse point at 1-1 and a backhand top-spin lob makes in 3-1. The Swiss bombs down an ace to get the wheels back on but Zverev still has the mini-break and leads 4-2 at the change of ends.
Another ace consolidates his advantage but Federer makes this forehand volley, not snatching as he did at the other end. However, “Sacha” smashes a backhand pass down the line to bring up three set points. Federer saves the first with a beautiful drop shot but a big serve converts the second and Zverev wins the first set 7-6.
Federer 6-6 Zverev
Zverev steps into the court and stays down on his two-handed backhand to find a beautiful winner but then Federer catches him with a backhand flicked pass off a very deep volley.
One point later, Federer ups the tempo and finds a backhand that Zverev just can’t handle, winning the long rally and forcing set point. But again Zverev nails a backhand that Federer can only net in return.
Tie-break it is.
Federer 6-5 Zverev*
Once again, Federer is under a little pressure on his serve at 30-30 – but slices a serve out wide for an ace and follows it with another. Pressure? Roger thinks nothing of such things.
*Federer 5-5 Zverev
Stunning drop volley from Federer eludes Zverev – all the more remarkable for being played mid-court and on the run. A lovely kick serve into the Federer backhand gives him the lead in the game and Zverev soon completes the 10th straight hold.
Federer 5-4 Zverev*
The forehand is back, by the way. At its best, it looks loose and undoubted, as it does to win the point at 15-0 and an ace seals a quick serve to love.
*Federer 4-4 Zverev
Still on serve but Zverev is cranking up the first serve speeds. Are we heading towards a fourth straight Hopman Cup tie-break between these two?
Federer 4-3 Zverev*
The Federer forehand is going off the boil here and he presents Zverev with a break point. Anyone want to predict his tactic? Serve. And. Volley. Two cheap points followed by a long rally in which the German fires long on the backhand wing.
Gutsy hold.
*Federer 3-3 Zverev
Federer misses a forehand at 15-30 and shows an increasingly rare sign of frustration. He really wants a break in the middle of this set. A tie-break is not the way he wants to have to do it. (He lost two out of three to Zverev when they met here last year.)
Federer 3-2 Zverev*
That Federer backhand is as good as I can ever remember seeing it but Zverev does get a sniff of the game at 40-30. Unfortunately, Federer at game point is pretty clinical and he takes game five at the net.
*Federer 2-2 Zverev
Starting to find some rhythm now Zverev and he matches Federer’s hold to 15.
Federer 2-1 Zverev*
Monstrous from Federer. Having forced Zverev to spend the better part of 10 minutes holding, he puts a game a way in little more than a minute. Zverev’s only point is a booming forehand winner off the serve though so that’s something.
*Federer 1-1 Zverev
Bit of a grimace from Zverev after a double-fault that was as much because of the shot as some stiffness in his body, I think. A poor forehand miss follows and leaves him 15-30 down and Federer forces a break point – only for Zverev to come in behind an excellent forehand and complete the volley.
The German needs a couple of deuces, and has to save another break point, and FINALLY holds.
So both men have saved two break points in their opening service games. Competitive much?
Federer 1-0 Zverev*
We expect Federer to come forward whenever possible – and he serve-and-volleys the opening two points as if to remind us of that expectation.
But he finds himself two break points down after a fine rally ends with him flying a forehand long.
However, Federer continues to be aggressive with his serve tactics and wins four straight points to hold.
8.05am: Federer to serve first…
8am: The players are being introduced to the crowd – Federer flanked by Belinda Bencic and Zverev by former world No 1 Angelique Kerber. The two women will face off in a singles clash after the men followed by a mixed doubles match in the “FAST4” format.
Federer and Zverev knocking up as we speak.
7.45am: As they say in Western Australia, “she’s a beauty!”. This is the final we were all hoping would emerge from the shakedown of teams in this unique exhibition tournament.
Remember that this is an exhibition, and later in the matches both players have been a little light-hearted – but it is still serious work with only nine days to sharpen their tools ahead of the Australian Open.
And Federer won’t want to give Zverev any quarter: the German is world No 4 and likely his one of his fiercest challengers for the title in Melbourne. Add to that the fact that Zverev has two ATP wins in five meetings with Federer, and this should be a serious match between the two.
8am start due UK time – and they’ve been pretty prompt so far this week in Perth.
