As expected, Dominic Thiem leads the Austrian squad for the Davis Cup play-off against Australia in Graz from 14 to 16 September. Should the Alpine Republic win the duel, it would return to the Bel Etage of the Davis Cup for the first time since 2013.
In addition to world leader Thiem, who will meet industry leader Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals at the US Open on Tuesday, Davis Cup captain Stefan Koubek officially nominated Gerald Melzer (ATP-133), Dennis Novak (ATP-140) as well as Oliver Marach (double ATP-2) and veteran Jürgen Melzer on Tuesday.
“The odds are 50:50 home advantage,” Koubek said and praised Thiem: “If you have one of the best clay court players in the world at the start, it makes a huge difference.
Thiem last strengthened the national team in February 2018 in St. Pölten in a 5-0 win over Belarus. Before that, he had also scored two individual points in Wels in his win over Romania. “Dominic shows how well he’s in shape at the US Open. The fact is that with Thiem and Marach we have two top ten players at the start. We needn’t be afraid of the Australians.”
The captain leaves open the second singles match next to Thiem on the opening day. “Dennis Novak has qualified for three Grand Slam tournaments this year, clearly has the better results – but on hard court and grass,” said Koubek, adding: “Gerald Melzer can be more dangerous on sand. I’m going to look at them in practice and then I’ll decide.”
Koubek had a hard time choosing the second double player alongside Oliver Marach. The man from Graz is playing the season of his life. With partner Mate Pavic he won the Australian Open and reached the final in Paris. “A man of experience, a real leader of enormous quality. To compete for his home country in his home town will certainly be a highlight for him,” emphasized Koubek.
Australia will compete in Graz without his number one Nick Kyrgios. The 30th World Ranking gave his captain Lleyton Hewitt a refusal for the away game. Knee problems are supposed to be the reason. Kyrgios had clearly failed in the third round of the US Open due to Grand Slam record winner Roger Federer (Switzerland/No. 2) and had again written negative headlines in the round before due to lack of discipline.
Speaking of Federer. The Aussie team will include John Millman (ATP No. 55), who disenchanted Maestro Federer in four sets in New York on Monday and is surprisingly in the last eight in the Big Apple. Another single player will probably be Alex De Minaur (ATP-No. 45). John Peers and Jordan Thompson are also nominated, but Thanasi Kokkinakis is missing.
Austria beat hosts Russia 3-1 in Moscow on April without top player Dominic Thiem and the second-placed Gerald Melzer, and the Australian team have won the Davis Cup trophy 28 times – most recently in 2003, after captain Lleyton Hewitt’s quartet lost 3-1 to Germany in the first round in Brisbane in February of this year.