Germany will face Japan in the second round of the Davis Cup qualifiers.
The selection of the German Tennis Federation (DTB) has, as expected, come close to a ticket to the Final 8 of the Davis Cup. In the first qualifying round against Israel, Kevin Krawietz/Tim Pütz converted the match point on Saturday afternoon to win 3-0 and secure the team’s place in the second round.
The favored world-class doubles team defeated Daniel Cukierman and Amit Vales 6-0, 6-3 in just 64 minutes. In September, the DTB selection, which played in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius without star player Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lennard Struff, who was ill, will face Japan. If they manage to get their next win there, Germany will book their place in the Final 8 in Bologna in November.
The team of national coach Michael Kohlmann had already led 2-0 after the opening singles on Friday, with former top 50 player Maximilian Marterer and Yannick Hanfmann both coming out on top. On Saturday afternoon, Krawietz/Pütz never gave their opponents a chance of preventing a decisive victory for the DTB team.
The winners of the ATP Finals in Turin repeatedly showed their class, dominated the game from the start and managed to keep the rallies very short. Krawietz/Pütz thus rushed to win the first set without losing a game in just 21 minutes. In the second set, they lost two service games to trail 2-1 and 4-3, but they remained focused and converted their first match point.
This year, under pressure from players and officials, the ITF is at least partially returning to the traditional “home/away game mode”, which is painfully missed by those with a sense of nostalgia. From the first qualifying round with 26 participating nations, the victorious teams advance to the second round. The Final 8 will take place in Bologna from November 18 to 23.
Australian Open finalist Zverev had once again declined to participate; the world number two is a critic of the mode: “The way it is now, it’s not the Davis Cup, it’s an exhibition tournament.” Struff was sidelined at short notice by an infection, and world number 226 Daniel Masur was named as the third singles player.