Monday 29 November 2021
Djokovic and Austria defeated
“Hot” DTB team wants more than revenge
The German Davis Cup team gets the chance to take revenge in two close preliminary round games for being eliminated at the last edition of the competition. The strong double ensures the decision against Austria. Even the best player in the world cannot fool that.
After moving into the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup, the German tennis men still haven’t had enough. Even without world-class player Alexander Zverev, it should work again for the first time since 2007 with the jump into the top four of the prestigious nations competition. “We have the chance to get to the semi-finals, that’s our goal,” said team boss Michael Kohlmann. “Very, very hot” you are of course on the upcoming task, said victory guarantee Kevin Krawietz.
With the somewhat surprising opening success against the Serbian selection around top star Novak Djokovic and the 2-1 after falling behind against Austria, Germany moved into the knockout round as group F winners. Germany will play against Great Britain on Tuesday (4 p.m.) for the semi-finals. Two years ago Germany was eliminated by the British in the round of the top eight. “We now have the chance to take revenge,” said Kohlmann: “I’m positive. I have a good feeling.”
“A lot of pressure has built up”
Perhaps it will also depend on the double strength in the quarter-finals, which proved to be a trump card against the Austrians as well as the Serbs: In the final match, Krawietz and Tim Pütz left no doubts and won with the sovereign 6: 3, 6: 4 against Oliver Marach and Philipp Oswald as against Serbia and exceptional Djokovic the decisive point. He was “very happy” and “relieved”, said Pütz: “There was a lot of pressure, especially after Domi (Koepfer) lost. We played a very good match.”
Thanks to the unexpected group victory, the entourage can stay in Innsbruck for the time being and does not (yet) have to travel to Spain. The German Tennis Association has set Madrid as a goal – for the semifinals. With Zverev, the selection would be one of the big favorites of the final round, but the ATP Finals winner, as a critic of the format, waives his participation in favor of the holiday. Because Dominik Koepfer failed with the 1: 6, 5: 7 against the Austrian outsider Jurij Rodionov in the first individual, the Germans had to tremble.
Struff played with “a little anger”
But the disappointing performance against the world number 139. In the end it didn’t matter anymore. Struff managed to equalize with a 7: 5, 6: 4 against Dennis Novak. Krawietz and Pütz made sure that the team did not have to rely on theoretical constellations and other results to advance. Against the Serbian duo Djokovic and Nikola Cacic, the two only made a successful start after falling behind in the third set in the tie-break. “It wasn’t easy to get out today. We won against one of the best players in tennis history yesterday. It’s in your head. Today we were the favorites, that makes it difficult,” said Kohlmann. Struff praised: “We have an amazing double with Kevin and Pütz”.
Against the Austrian world rankings-118. Novak Struff went into the match with the pressure to win. The number 51 in the world did not show any nervousness in the Olympic Hall, where spectators were excluded due to the Corona crisis. “There was a bit of anger in there from yesterday,” said the 31-year-old, who had no chance against Djokovic the day before: “I’m going in against Novak and I’m the clear underdog. Against Dennis I’m going in and I’m the favorite of the rankings It’s difficult to deal with. I did it really, really well today. ”
It only got tight when Struff served to win the set at 5: 4, but had to accept that 5: 5. But the Warsteiner immediately took the lead again. “If I don’t break right away, you never know what will happen,” he admitted and explained his key to success: “I played aggressively from the first point, with a lot more energy – like Novak Djokovic did yesterday made me. “