2023-09-13 16:47:24
Things are getting serious for the Generali Austria Davis Cup team: In just two days, the ÖTV men will be heading to the international match in World Group I against Portugal (September 15th/16th) – the winning nation will receive a ticket for the qualifying round to the Davis Cup Finals 2024.
Since Monday, both selections have been preparing in the Multiversum Schwechat, which will accommodate around 1,800 spectators.
ÖTV sports director and Davis Cup captain Jürgen Melzer assesses the conditions very positively: “I think it’s great. I think it’s set up really cool, our people did a damn good job. If you walk in there and imagine that the hall is almost full, it will be a great atmosphere.”
A factor that will certainly help the Lower Austrian’s team. The objective for the international competition is clear: “I hope for a victory. But you can’t really hope, the answer has to happen on the pitch. And I am convinced that we will win this game,” Melzer did not want to deny the fact that he was a slight favorite.
The 42-year-old didn’t see anything bad in any single encounter: “I don’t think we have a game that we can’t win – no matter who plays against whom. Even if our number two plays against Portugal’s number one Nuno Borges, I see us in a 50:50 situation.”
Dominic Thiem’s short-term, health-related cancellation didn’t make a huge difference for him: “With him the chance might have been 60:40 or 55:45 – not much has changed now.” The truth is out there on the pitch, every match has to be played to be played first.
Ofner and double Erler/Miedler set
When it comes to the team line-up, which must be officially announced one hour before the draw at the Official Draw on Thursday at 2:00 p.m., Melzer has already said so far into the cards: The well-rehearsed duo Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler are seeded in doubles – and with Austria’s current number one Sebastian Ofner, “something would have to happen for him not to play.”
The decision between Jurij Rodionov and Dennis Novak, who replaced Thiem, as the second individual player has not yet been made; the impressions in training are mainly decisive: “You just have to see how everyone is, how they get along with the surface, and Then I will make a decision on Wednesday evening and then tell the boys who will play.”
In any case, you can get used to the playing conditions in the Multiverse Schwechat. These are “just what we wanted them to be, so we can’t complain about it.” It’s a relatively flat ball bounce – the game will definitely be service-dominant, that’s the first impression from the first day and a half. The surface is the same as in the town hall, the balls are cool, so everything fits.”
Also by the ex-world number 59. However, the Portuguese, led by Rui Machado as non-playing captain, have clearly felt comfortable on the hard court in the hall so far: “I watched their training, it looked really good – including Joao Sousa, who was in training on Monday played really well. It will be very interesting who they will field, they also have to play poker. They’ll put Borges in first place. But who will play the second singles… let’s see.”
Thiem rejection: “Of course we are losing a leader with Dominic”
Melzer also commented again on the cancellation of Thiem, who was diagnosed with type C stomach inflammation: “To be fair, it came as a bit of a surprise to me on Monday. I spoke to Moritz (Thiem’s brother and manager; note) on the phone on Monday morning when I drove to Schwechat, and the plan was for him to play. A few hours later Dominic called me and told me he wasn’t feeling well – and he didn’t think he was any help to the team. He actually didn’t have any results (from the medical examinations; note). When he had that, it was clear that he couldn’t play anyway.”
The loss was painful: “Of course we are losing a leader in Dominic. When he’s there, it’s just a different aura, even if it’s maybe not the same as when he was number three in the world. Nevertheless, he played good tennis, reached the final in Kitzbühel and actually had self-confidence. Of course I’m sorry for him that he can’t play, and just as sorry for the team.”
Nevertheless, Melzer still thought the starting position was good: “Of course we are still the favorites when we look at the rankings. With Dennis, we are also nominating a player who has a lot of experience and who has already played some decent tennis on the surface at one time or another,” the German-Wagram native deliberately understated in his words. “So now there’s no bad guy coming behind.”
After all, before Thiem’s rejection, he had already consciously decided not to nominate Filip Misolic, who was ranked 27th higher in the ATP rankings, but rather Novak (ATP 192), “because for me, Dennis is the one on the surface in the hall who is simply the one here “You can’t change Thiem’s failure anyway. We have to focus on the things that we can influence, and that is: train well this week and make sure we are well prepared. That’s what the boys do, so I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
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