Melbourne (Australia), Dec 25 (dpa) – Mischa Zverev will be in charge of twelve German men’s teams at the ATP Cup in Melbourne in February, Michael Kohlmann, captain of the Davis Cup team of the German Federation, told dpa Tennis (DBT).
The older brother of Alexander Zverev, number one in Germany and seventh in the world ranking, assumes the responsibility shared by the legendary Boris Becker and Kohlmann at the premiere of the Australian tournament.
On the other hand, Becker will leave the position of director of German men’s tennis at the end of the year, a position that will also be assumed by Kohlmann, Davis Cup boss since 2015.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kohlmann and the head of German women’s tennis, Barbara Rittner, will not travel to Australia in 2021. “That is why we decided to have Mischa take on that role,” Kohlmann said.
The ATP Cup was played for the first time this year. Germany were eliminated in the group stage in Brisbane also due to three defeats by Alexander Zverev. In next year’s edition, the contest was postponed due to the pandemic and will be played with fewer teams.
The Australian Open will also start three weeks later than planned, on February 8. In the week before, February 1-5, the ATP Cup will be played in Melbourne.
Alexander Zverev, Jan-Lennard Struff and doubles team Kevin Krawietz / Andreas Mies will represent Germany.
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