SIt has been a long time since a tennis spectacle was so strongly focused on a German superstar as the Davis Cup in Hamburg. From a domestic point of view, everything revolved around Alexander Zverev right from the start: from his promise to play for Germany this year despite all the reservations about the new tournament mode, to the application of the German Tennis Association (DTB) with Zverev’s hometown for the intermediate round to the recently increased anticipation that the 25-year-old would make his comeback at Rothenbaum after more than three months of injury.
Above all, the current fifth in the world rankings was planned as a top player who could reliably deliver points and increase the chances of reaching the final round. But now that Zverev was diagnosed with bone edema in his right foot, the mood barometer has dropped noticeably. The ace does not trump, but is out of play. Team boss Michael Kohlmann is counting on “the team now moving even closer together”.
From this Wednesday, when the DTB selection meets France in their first game (2 p.m. on Servus TV and DAZN), Zverev can only play the mood cannon. “Sascha said that he would go full throttle from the outside,” says Jan-Lennard Struff, who is scheduled to be the second individual player next to the new top player Oscar Otte. Struff has the burden of probably opening the Davis Cup game against France against Benjamin Bonzi.
Without Zverev, the chances of the DTB selection to finish the group with France, Australia and Belgium (Australia won the opening game against Belgium on Tuesday) at least as second and to reach the final round in the last week of November in Málaga, Spain, have decreased. Team boss Kohlmann knows that too, but encourages everyone: “I’m still convinced that we could make it through to the next round.” The undertaking isn’t impossible, as the French and Australians have to do without their exceptional talents Gael Monfils and Nick Kyrgios.
Krawietz and Pütz beyond any doubt
However, Otte and Struff have had tough months themselves. Otte, who as 52nd in the world rankings is probably dealing with Adrian Mannarino, who is five places higher, had to undergo an operation on the medial meniscus after the Wimbledon tournament and only returned to the US Open about two weeks ago; there he lost in the first round to the Poles Hubert Hurkacz. Struff, only ranked 132 in the world, failed to qualify for the New York main draw and instead played in a Challenger tournament in Cassis, France.
Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz: Neither of the two doubles specialists has lost a Davis Cup match so far
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Picture: REUTERS
In general, the 32-year-old is mainly on the second-rate tour this season, and he only won two games in his rare participation in ATP tournaments. The Warsteiner attracted the most attention in the first round of Wimbledon – he lost there after five sets against Carlos Alcaraz, the newly crowned US Open winner and world number one. As mixed as Struff’s season was: In international matches he often showed what he was made of. “We’re all in the mood and will give everything for Germany,” said Struff, who is the most experienced in the German team with 15 Davis Cup matches.
If the DTB selection wins a point from the individuals, they can be in good spirits. Because Coburg’s Kevin Krawietz and Frankfurt’s Tim Pütz form a double that is beyond any doubt. Neither of the two doubles specialists has lost a Davis Cup match so far, they have won the last five games together. “We have shown that we can perform against any team,” said Krawietz. It would do the Hamburg spectacle good.
