Alexander Zverev as an observer will also be happy about this interim result: In the relegation game in Davis Cup The first two singles go to Germany.
Even without Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lennard Struff, the German tennis men are only missing one win to stay in the league Davis Cup. In the relegation relegation game in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the selection of Team boss Michael Kohlmann in Mostar with the 2-0 lead was an ideal first day. The doubles of Tim Pütz and Kevin Krawietz can already make the decision in the first game on Sunday (10.30 a.m.).
Altmaier ensures a good start to the DTB
First, Daniel Altmaier won after a shaky game in the first set 7:6 (7:5), 6:2 against the Bosnian outsider Nerman Fatic. In the second singles, Yannick Hanfmann outclassed the former top 30 player Damir Dzumhur thanks to a strong performance and surprisingly won 6:2, 6:1.
“I would be lying if I said it was all easy. I played it down really well,” Hanfmann said on “ServusTV” with a completely wet, sweaty T-shirt and said with regard to the conditions: “It was pretty hot, I pretty much ran out.”
Struff is also missing
If the German selection wins the relegation game, they will also compete in the top division next season and can compete for the Davis Cup-Play along with the title. If the doubles don’t lead to success, there would be a chance of getting the third point in a maximum of two singles.
With Zverev, the German tennis men surprisingly lost the qualifying game against Switzerland 2:3 in Trier in February and thus missed out on qualifying for the current group phase. In Bosnia-Herzegovina this has to be the case team of the German Tennis Association will be without the Olympic champion as well as top 30 player Struff due to injury. Germany was last relegated in 2003.
Altmaier: “You play for more”
Altmaier and Hanfmann were clearly favored in terms of the ranking position in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but had prestigiouspregnant nations competition but hardly any experience. Both now celebrated their first victories Davis Cup.
“It was a completely new experience for me. I think that any opponent in such a situation is not easy,” admitted Altmaier after his first single in an away game Davis Cup a. A Davis Cup match you could “definitely” do not compare with another tournament: “You play for more.”
Altmaier with problems despite being the favorite
In front of around 800 spectators and at temperatures of 28 degrees, the tension was clearly noticeable in the opening singles. Altmaier showed against the world number 218. Fatic not his best tennis. At 4:5 the Kempener was the same as in the Tiebreaker Shortly before losing the set, the opponent was two points short. Only at the end of the first set did the world number 49 improve, and the second section became the expectedly clear affair.
Altmaier starts with three breaks
Unlike Altmaier, Hanfmann was immediately very good in his game. As the former number 23 in the world, Dzumhur was supposedly the most dangerous opponent. But Hanfmann pushed the Bosnian number one onto the defensive, chased the struggling 31-year-old across the clay court and unnerved him early on with numerous stops. The world number 54 quickly led. from Karlsruhe after three Breaks 5-0 before he had to give up the first games.
Neither the opponent’s criticism nor an unusual break after the first game in the second set dissuaded Hanfmann from his path. Dzumhur took a medical break and had his calf treated, but no injury was apparent during the rallies. Dzumhur is trying everything to win, Hanfmann said: “Luckily it didn’t work out.”