PICTURED: APA / EXPA / SEBASTIAN PUCHER
Austria's Davis Cup team will compete with Dennis Novak, Jurij Rodionov, Gerald Melzer and the experienced doubles Oliver Marach / Philipp Oswald at the final tournament in Innsbruck at the end of November. Captain Stefan Koubek nominated this quintet for the group matches against Serbia with Novak Djokovic and Germany (without Alexander Zverev) on Friday. The hosts have to compete without ex-US Open winners Dominic Thiem and Sebastian Ofner, both are injured.
“It is gratifying that Dennis has been able to win matches again recently,” said Koubek in an ÖTV broadcast. “In the Davis Cup he always surpasses himself, gets the most out of himself – for example in Russia, in Finland or in Premstätten against Uruguay, when we were able to secure participation in the final tournament with a 3-1 win.” Novak has an 8-3 victory record in the prestigious team competition. The second individual will probably be Jurij Rodionov, even if his season did not go so well. “Logically, he is included in the ranking,” said Koubek.
Gerald Melzer has recently got back in shape thanks to Challenger successes after years of injury worries. Koubek: “He earned his place in the team.” And the double Marach / Oswald comes about by itself, according to the Carinthian. “On a good day, they can beat anyone.”
The game will be played in Innsbruck in group F on November 26th. first against Serbia, then against Germany on Sunday. First the two number 2 players meet, then the two top players from each country, followed by doubles. The game is played for two sets of wins, the third set would be decided in a tie-break, as has been the case in the Davis Cup for several years. The respective group winners from Pool F and C (France, Czech Republic, Great Britain) will meet in Innsbruck on November 30th. each other in the quarterfinals.
Should the ÖTV troop be second, there would still be the possibility of promotion to a quarter-finals in Madrid. The two best group runners-up from all six pools qualify for this.
