The German tennis team started with euphoria in Hungary. But after day one, everything is wide open. Now the experience of defeat should help
The German team is relying on the lessons learned from last year’s early exit to reach the group stage of the Davis Cup. In the defeat against Switzerland in February 2023, the euphoria after winning the doubles and taking a 2:1 lead was a little too great, reported team manager Michael Kohlmann in Tatabánya, Hungary.
“I think everyone felt a bit confident. There was a bit too much tension,” he said. There was already “satisfaction” after the doubles. “Everyone was so happy. I believe that we’ve learned from that and that we’ll definitely do things differently here, that it’s only over when we have three points.”
In Trier, Alexander Zverev and Daniel Altmaier lost their singles matches after going 2:1 up against Switzerland. As a result, the German team missed out on a place in the group stage of the Davis Cup
Kohlmann has “a good feeling” for the doubles
As in Trier, the score in Hungary is now 1:1 after the first day. Saturday starts with the doubles with Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz. Then Jan-Lennard Struff, the top German player, will face the Hungarian number one Fabian Marozsan.
Finally, the singles match between Dominik Koepfer and Marton Fucsovics is scheduled. He has “a good feeling” for the doubles, said Kohlmann. “It’s a very important match for both nations.”
On the first day of the two-day qualifying round, Koepfer had won 6:2, 7:6 (7:4) against Marozsan, after which Struff lost 3:6, 5:7 to Fucsovics.
The team cannot rely on Olympic champion Zverev in Hungary. According to the German Tennis Federation, the world number six, who had been nominated, withdrew due to the infection that had already weakened him in the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
