Tennis: No Davis Cup sizzle – men continue to play first-class

In a T-shirt in the German colors and with the federal eagle on his chest, Davis Cup team boss Michael Kohlmann applauded happily and contentedly.

Tim Pütz and Kevin Krawietz acknowledged their decisive success in the relegation relegation in Bosnia-Herzegovina with an experienced smile. After the world-class doubles achieved the necessary third point to keep the German tennis men in the league, the last tension in the German entourage in Mostar was wiped away.

Without Zverev and Struff

Even without their two best players, Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lennard Struff, the DTB selection avoided the threat of their first relegation in 20 years and lived up to the association’s demands. In 2024 the team – probably with Zverev again – will continue to play first-class. “Now we are where we belong,” said Krawietz. Kohlmann announced on ServusTV that his team wanted to “attack fully” next year. “I think it’s a very, very good generation, a very, very good phase that we’re having in German tennis. Hopefully we can celebrate it again in 2024 with good and great successes.”

Thanks to Krawietz and Pütz’s 6:4, 6:2 win against Damir Dzumhur and Mirza Basic, the Germans took their third point early on Sunday to secure success. “The tension is always great. Davis Cup is always something special: I think we did very well,” said Pütz. Finally, Maximilian Marterer won the meaningless singles against Andrej Nedic 6:1, 7:6 (7:4) in his Davis Cup debut and made the final score 4:0. The last single was no longer played.

Germany lives up to its role as favorite

At the tennis club in Mostar, the weakened German team left no doubt about remaining in the world group in front of about two handfuls of German fans who had traveled with them. “I think we have shown that we can compete for the title. We have a good and broad team,” said DTB President Dietloff von Arnim. The goal of all players is “to bring the bowl back to Germany at some point.” The last time a German team triumphed in the Davis Cup was in 1993.

In view of Krawietz and Pütz’s confident double performance with only a few close situations, there was no crackling Davis Cup atmosphere on Sunday either, the two completed the optimal result from Saturday. Only three matches until the decision, only six sets – all went to the guests. “Great,” commented Kohlmann: “A lot has worked out for us here in Mostar.”

Altmaier nervous for a moment

Von Arnim admitted that there was already a lot of nervousness before the start. However, Daniel Altmaier and Yannick Hanfmann, who were inexperienced in the Davis Cup, provided a reassuring lead with their first victories in the prestigious national competition. Only Altmaier had to tremble in the first set before his 7:6 (7:5), 6:2 against the world number 218. Nerman Fatic was determined. The tension and burden was clearly noticeable at first. Relegation would have been an embarrassment.

“It was a completely new experience for me. I think that any opponent in such a situation is not easy,” admitted Altmaier. A Davis Cup match “definitely” cannot be compared to a tournament. “You play for more.”

Hanfmann impressed and outclassed the best-known Bosnian professional, who in previous years could have tripped up the Germans. But Hanfmann unnerved Damir Dzumhur with stop balls and didn’t let the former top 30 player’s antics bother him at 6:2, 6:1. “It was a perfect performance,” praised Kohlmann, highlighting the performance as “very confident, very refreshing.”