Tennis – After debates: Davis Cup team gets off to an optimal start in China – Sport

Zhuhai (dpa) – After the debates about the controversial awarding of the Davis Cup matches to China, the German tennis men have made a perfect start on their path to the finals. Without top player Alexander Zverev, but with US Open finalists Tim Pütz and Kevin Krawietz, the substitutes won 3-0 against Slovakia. The first step to reaching the Davis Cup quarter-finals in Malaga, Spain in November as one of the two best teams in the group of four in Zhuhai has been mastered.

“It makes us want more,” said tennis pro Maximilian Marterer, relieved and satisfied. Team manager Michael Kohlmann said: “It was important to start with a win. Now we have two finals.”

Hanfmann prevents Slovakia from equalising

After the singles matches of Marterer and Yannick Hanfmann, the Germans were already in an unassailable lead in the first of three group matches. Marterer impressed with a 6:4, 7:5 win against Lukas Klein. Then Hanfmann fought back from a set behind to win 3:6, 6:3, 7:6 (7:3) against Jozef Kovalik.

The Karlsruhe player was not at his best, but turned the game around and averted the threatened equalizer. At 4:5 in the third period, he had to fend off a match point. A little later, Hanfmann secured the decisive second point.

In the final doubles match, Pütz and Krawietz, who had only arrived the evening before, defied the rigors of their journey. Just three days after losing the final in New York, both won 7:5, 6:3 against Klein and Igor Zelenay.

“It helped immensely that we were 2-0 up.” “It took the pressure off us and made it easier to play,” said Pütz. “I think we played really well considering the opportunity.” Krawietz admitted that he was “quite tired,” but also “really happy” about the successful start.

The fact that the ITF had awarded Germany’s Group C to China caused considerable travel stress and sparked sharp criticism. “I think that the teams that are here now all agree that it is more or less nonsense to play here,” said team manager Kohlmann.

Marterer: “There could be a little surprise”

However, the extremely humid conditions in the hall did not affect the Germans on the court. On Thursday, the selection, which will have to make do without Zverev as well as Jan-Lennard Struff, Dominik Koepfer and Daniel Altmaier, will face Chile as their supposedly strongest opponent.

“We have all prepared very well. We feel comfortable with the conditions. “I think there could be a small surprise on Thursday,” said Marterer. The USA will be the final group opponent on Saturday.

Because the German top four in the individual world rankings are missing from the squad, Marterer and Hanfmann are in the spotlight. Both are nervous in the first of three group matches. Hanfmann is the German number one at world number 96. Marterer is number 104 in the world and impressed against the Slovakians with strong serve games.

“I think I did quite well,” said the Nuremberg player. “I hope I can carry this good form into the next matches. Then it can be a very successful week for us.”

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