Injury problems in the teams of Oliver Marach and Alexander Peya before the ATP Finals in London. On Media Day, however, both Austrians present themselves optimistically.
By Jens Huiber from London
Oliver Marach hasn’t seen himself in London’s O2 Arena yet. But it’s not that easy to get past the Styrian, who will be the top seed in the season finale of the ATP Tour alongside Mate Pavic. More than larger than life, Marach hangs next to his partner as a banner, for the sports comrades Cabal and Farah, set in second position in London, there is just as much appreciation.
Alexander Peya, on the other hand, is already glad that he can start in London at all. The Viennese has not played a tennis match since the summer, nor did Peya know in the middle of this week whether he could bring enough momentum behind his serve. The training session on Friday showed that he can. How far Peya and his partner Nikola Mektic will carry their legs will probably already be decided on Sunday, when the pairing Cabal/Farah will be against.
Also the duo Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic have not been free of injury worries lately, the start in Paris-Bercy has been cancelled. Pure prophylaxis, as the Austrian veteran remarked at Media Day for the doubles players. Actually, Mate and he had a pretty good chance of winning the last ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year, but reason had won.
Also because Mate Pavic with the Croatian team still has the Davis Cup final against France in Lille on the paper, an event actually made for Nikola Mektic. But he has no illusions: The last time against the USA, Pavic and Ivan Dodig and Franko Skugor were double players – and that would not change for the final. But Mektic will definitely go to Lille, then as the sixth man.
Oliver Marach and Alexander Peya, on the other hand, would like to travel to Madrid, albeit only in November 2019. Both find the date for the new Davis Cup final tournament rather suboptimal, although Marach at least hinted that he does not consider a change of date to be unlikely in the near future.
The reform passed in August was not the one he had hoped for, Alexander Peya said, but the format should be given a chance. Which puts the Austrians on the same wavelength. Because Oliver Marach also thinks that it can’t be discussed for years that something should be changed – and when the time comes, everyone is against it. Madrid is the goal, but the task against the Chileans in the qualifying round at the beginning of February in Salzburg should not be underestimated.
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For the Styrian there will be a day break on Sunday, Marach and Pavic will meet Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert on the second matchday. Against the two French Marach/Pavic lost the final of the French Open at the beginning of June.