In the second Davis Cup match of the year, Austrian captain Stefan Koubek’s improvisation skills are in demand. A veteran who has had to pass for almost a year could of all people help.
Dominic Thiem’s slip in his third round game against Pablo Cuevas in Indian Wells not only made the Austrian tennis fans groan – Stefan Koubek, the Davis Cup captain, also followed the scene with great concern. For one thing, because he knows and appreciates Thiem. But also, of course, because after the injury of his best player it is finally clear that he will be missing in the match against Russia in Moscow at the beginning of April.
Neither Thiem nor coach Günter Bresnik had reported the water level of the 24-year-old after Thiem’s spontaneous and successful appearance at the first-round match of the Europe-Africa Zone 1 in St. Gallen. Pölten could at least hope that Dominic Thiem will join the team at short notice.
The number two in the budget, Gerald Melzer, will be elected on 6 March. and 7. April is also missing. At his own request. For Melzer, things are not nearly as good on hard court as they are on ashes, and potential opponents Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov or Daniil Medvedev have done the rest: Melzer, the younger one, will not travel to Russia. Just like the double specialists Oliver Marach and Alexander Peya.
With Stefan Koubek in the individual positions Sebastian Ofner and Dennis Novak as the best alternatives are available. Ofner is currently at position 142 in the ATP charts and just won a match at the highest level this year: in Sao Paolo against the Italian Marco Cecchinato. Novak was last in the final of a future in Antalya, but earned a place in the main draw of the Australian Open at the beginning of the year by qualifying. Both are outsiders against the strong Russian team.
In doubles, Koubek can count on Philipp Oswald. Perhaps alongside Tristan-Samuel Weißborn, who has already won a match at the US Open together with Dominic Thiem. Or it actually comes to the comeback of the man who has demonstrated the fascination of the Davis Cup like hardly anyone else in Austria in recent years: Jürgen Melzer. The Lower Austrian has not played a match since Wimbledon 2017, but is still on the long way back after his shoulder operation – but he wants to test his physical condition next weekend in Marbella. And let Captain Koubek know if there’s enough to go against the Russians.
Jürgen Melzer was able to start with the ball training only a few days ago, the start is with soft balls as is usual with such injuries. For the former top ten man, the new rules on the second floor of the Davis Cup could come in handy: a best-of-five game would definitely have been an exclusion criterion for a comeback. Since this year, however, there are two winning sets. And Jürgen Melzer could actually get fit in time.