Even without the injured Alexander Zverev, the German tennis men make it into the knockout phase of the Davis Cup early. Especially the doubles Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz are convincing all along the line. The big star of the team will probably still be missing.
The injured Alexander Zverev grinned, wrapped up in a black hoodie in the box, the insurmountable miracle double enjoyed the warming applause of the 5000 fans in cool Hamburg. Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz led the German tennis men to group victory in the Davis Cup. The still undefeated duo scored the decisive point in the 2-1 win over Australia. At the start of the final tournament in Málaga at the end of November, Germany will meet Canada.
"We were never the best in our age group in Germany, we were never among the absolute best in the world. The Davis Cup is something special for us, it gets the best out of us," said Pütz after the 6: 4, 6: 4 against Wimbledon - Winners Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell. In eight joint appearances in the Davis Cup, the German duo has never lost.
Even before the strong end of the group phase, Michael Kohlmann's thoughts were partly on the Spanish November sun. In the Final 8, the German men want to show the same emotional and successful tennis as at home - even without their injured star Zverev. "Our goal isn't just to win a round in Malaga, we're going there to go very far," said Kohlmann.
In Málaga, the path to the final is already mapped out - and they are avoiding top favorites Spain. If you win against Canada you will meet the USA or Italy. The Spaniards, who may be competing with world number one Carlos Alcaraz and superstar Rafael Nadal, would then only wait in the final. Kohlmann doesn't care about the opponents for the time being. "I don't know of any team we would have to hide from," said the 48-year-old team boss. They want to take up the cause of being an unpleasant opponent for every country.
You don't even need Zverev, who has an injured foot, for that. "At the moment we don't know exactly how long Sascha will be out," said Kohlmann. "We have to wait and see. It's important for him to find his way. Not to start too early, to focus on himself and to get in shape physically, to perform at his best. If that would fit with the Davis Cup , we would be very happy."
Zverev also helps the team as a fan. "I'm very happy that he's part of the team and that we can have eye contact during the game. That helps a lot," said Jan-Lennard Struff. The 32-year-old won all three singles at Rothenbaum - with or without eye contact.
In the words of Kohlmann and Struff there is a slight hope, but Kohlmann cannot plan realistically with his best player. Even if the 25-year-old recovers from his bone edema, he will miss months of match practice. "Right now it's important that Sascha looks at himself and uses the time that he'll be back soon," emphasized Kohlmann. In Spain, the 48-year-old should rely on Struff and Oscar Otte in the individual as in Hamburg.
Especially since the duo will then be at a better level. Struff gained self-confidence through the victories in Hamburg after a previously unsuccessful year in which he fell to 132nd place in the world rankings. And Otte only recently came back from knee surgery anyway. "Oscar is getting better from match to match and he will be on a different level in November," said Kohlmann.
And then there is the success double. Krawietz and Pütz got the decisive point in all victories in Hamburg. Even if there was sometimes a bit of luck involved. "We had the Davis Cup god on our side," Krawietz said. And Pütz gave a little insight into the duo's secret of success, which won all of its first eight Davis Cup games: "Maybe it also helps that we don't play together on the tour, that it's always something fresh."
This freshness should last at least until Málaga. And since you avoid the outstanding nations like hosts Spain at the start of the final tournament, claims are quite legitimate. "We have continued to develop in recent years," emphasized Kohlmann. "Last year we were in the semi-finals, this year it's at least the quarter-finals again." At least.
