Davis Cup: Germany and Austria can only meet at the final tournament

Austria joins Germany in the Davis Cup World Group. However, a meeting of the two neighbours is only possible at the final tournament.

Dominic Thiem never doubted, even spoke of a win-win situation: If he had somehow lost his match against Alex de Minaur, Dennis Novak would certainly have come round the corner with the third point for Austria. Well, Sunday went according to plan, a final spurt of the Austrian number one catapulted the hosts in Graz directly into the World Group 2019.

And not only that – even in the rank of a seeded nation. And thus on a par with the German national team. Their boss, Michael Kohlmann, probably didn’t follow too much from Graz, if he did, then hopefully on ORF. This is where Alexander Peya, Kohlmann’s long-standing double partner, first distinguished himself as an expert.

A meeting between Germany and Austria, the first since 2009, when the hosts in Garmisch-Partenkirchen won 3-2 in the qualifying round for the final tournament in autumn, is ruled out due to the seedings, both Stefan Koubek and his team as well as Kohlmanns Buben are waiting for their opponents for the beginning of the year. The teams from Croatia, France, the USA and Spain can keep this free. The 2018 semi-finalists will now enjoy at least a year off from the Davis Cup.

Judging by the atmospheric pictures of Lille and Zadar last weekend, none of the participants would have objected to a former Da Capo.

Dominic Thiem has basically agreed to play everywhere. Australia, India, South America – the travel plans for the first months of 2019 allow great flexibility. Germany stayed down under at the beginning of this year, won 3:1 in Brisbane. Should Zverev and Co. move the Australians again, there would be a home match, but only on two days according to the new format. That this could become a financial problem for the organizers, worldwide, was also a major topic in Graz.

From an Austrian point of view, you would still like to have a game at home again, there are not too many halls for that, but older sports fans will remember that they already played against France at Vienna-Schwechat Airport.

For Dominic Thiem and Co. the following constellations could arise: The spring match in Moscow would certainly give them a home game against Russia, and Chile and Brazil as well. Australia was just a guest. The Austrians would have to play Hungary away, the last match took place at home in 1983. A draw would decide on the matches against India (last in 1954), Colombia and Bosnia. The last place in the 2019 World Group will not be played until November, between Portugal, South Africa, Belarus and Slovakia.

However, a very special away match could give the Austrians little pleasure, even if their journey would be short: Robin Haase’s Netherlands and the strong double Matwe Middelkoop and Jean-Julien Rojer have lost in Canada. And had home rights at a meeting with Austria.

Here are the results of the Davis Cup playoffs 2019: