Austria’s Davis Cup team also mastered the away hurdle Japan without top 100 man Filip Misolic.
Less than four months after the trip to Hungary, Yurij Rodionov was once again crowned ÖTV hero, as he also secured a 3-2 victory in Tokyo with a 2-2 draw.
This means that Austria will welcome them on the 18th/19th. or 19th/20th September Belgium beat Bulgaria 4-0. If ÖTV captain Jürgen Melzer’s team wins again, there will be a Dacapo at the Final 8 in Bologna in November.
“A home game in September against Bologna was fantastic – what more could we want?” said a happy Melzer after a nerve-wracking day on the bench. Belgium clearly prevailed as favorites on Sunday. “Hopefully it will be a tennis festival and we will make it back to Bologna, the chance is of course there.”
A new jump into the top eight tennis nations would be “unbelievable”. “Just having the chance again is sensational! We’re talking about a world sport.”
Rodionov thrives in the Davis Cup
Jurij Rodionov again contributed two of the three points. The 26-year-old from Lower Austria has often blossomed in the fight for red-white-red.
“I seem to have played particularly well in the Davis Cup last year, which makes me happy for my team and my country,” noted the left-hander.
Of course, there is still a lot of time until the home game. “We’ll let it come to us and be fully motivated again.”
A Davis Cup appearance like this gives him a lot of self-confidence, even if it can’t be compared to everyday life on tour. But Rodionov saw that the intensified physical work in preparation was bearing fruit. “I’ll be training at home for the next two weeks. I’m physically and mentally drained,” he admitted after several weeks of touring.
Ohneberg is happy about the farewell victory
For ÖTV President Martin Ohneberg it was his last Davis Cup in this role; he will not be running again in April. “It was a huge experience in Japan, the excitement couldn’t be beaten. It was a great team effort,” explained the Vorarlberg native.
ÖTV managing director Thomas Schweda also celebrated: “We have another home game against the strong nation of Belgium. It’s a big deal for us that we are once again among the best nations in the world.”
The regional associations and potential organizers will be contacted immediately on Monday. Because the day after their return, the search for a venue for the home game begins.
A side detail: Austria leads head-to-head against Belgium 5-0, the last duel so far was won 4-1 in Antwerp in 2011 – with Jürgen Melzer in the team.
