After moving to Madrid, German tennis pros were finally able to see the target of Desire up close. In Caja Mágica, the Davis Cup is located next to the central court, as an added motive, so to speak.
“In Innsbruck we saw the trophy only on the posters, and here we were able to see it up close for the first time. Germany captain Michael Coleman said, “This does something for you. “We’re here to get that thing right now.”
First of all, the German team on Saturday (1:00 pm / Servus TV) is about to reach the final. But the last hurdle before the final couldn’t be greater at the moment. It’s against the top-ranked Russians, who have two of the top five players in their ranks at the US Open Daniil Medvedev and Andrei Rublev. “Russia is definitely the favourite. “It will be difficult to beat them,” said Jan-Lennard Struve of the German news agency DPA. “We are not going to hide, however, we did well as a team. We believe in our chance.”
More freedom of movement
Therefore, the German team enjoyed its newfound freedom only in Madrid with well-thought-out strikes. “It’s a little more relaxing. “We went out to eat in the evening, but mostly in the building,” Struve said after the flight from Innsbruck to Madrid. In Austria, the Davis Cup team practically only saw the facility and hotel due to the closures in place there. In the Spanish capital, the team surrounding successful duo Kevin Krawetz and Tim Putz now enjoys greater freedom of movement. But Struff and Co. have identified other priorities. “Real Madrid is a little higher, so we were on the field a lot and prepared ourselves,” said Sauerland.
After all, even without Olympic champion Alexander Zverev, who is currently on vacation in the Maldives with girlfriend Sophia Tomala, German tennis cracks have a big goal in mind: for the first time in 28 years, Germany wants to reach the final in the prestigious team competition. Back then, Michael Stitch, Mark Kevin Gollner and Patrick Koenen beat Australia 4-1 in Dusseldorf, thus winning the last of three Davis Cup totals to date.
“Give full throttle”
“We want to give the throttle full again in Madrid,” Kraweets said. In order for him and Butz to be decisive again in the doubles, the Germans will have to surpass themselves in the singles against Medvedev and Rublev. Coleman sure trusts them to do just that. “We are the underdogs, but we were already against Serbia and Great Britain,” said the coach of the national team, referring to previous victories. Only against Austria did the German national team enter the game as outsiders. “If we can call out what the boys play in rehearsals, I think we have a chance,” Coleman said.
Who the former professional, who was injured watching the semi-finals of a German team in Russia in 2007, will appear in the singles alongside Struve, has left it open. Much is being said about Dominic Kupfer after Peter Jogovicek did not get along well with the British and with the pressure to play for Germany. “I know, but I’m not going to reveal it,” Coleman said.
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