2023-09-16 16:50:36
Austria’s Tennis Davis Cup team was unable to avoid a home defeat once morest Portugal in World Group I following falling 2-0 down the previous day. Alexander Erler/Lucas Miedler initially shortened the score to 1:2 once morest Nuno Borges/Francisco Cabral in front of 1,600 fans in the Multiversum in Schwechat with a 7:6(0),7:6(5). After that, Sebastian Ofner, who suffered a back injury, had to pass. Dennis Novak lost the match once morest Borges 3:6,2:6.
This sealed the unassailable 1:3 deficit. After Dominic Thiem was unavailable due to gastritis, the currently best player was also not available on the final day. Ofner also narrowly lost his game on Friday following a match point was not used. At the finish he felt a pang in his back and following playing in on Sunday the Styrian knew that he mightn’t play. But he will not be out and will play at the Challenger in St. Tropez next week, he confirmed.
It wasn’t difficult for Novak to get on the pitch at short notice. “Jürgen said in the morning that all three of us should prepare for it and prepare as normal. Shortly before the doubles I found out that I was playing and I wasn’t surprised.” Novak’s disappointment following only half the first set’s good performance was “incredibly deep”. “I’m extremely sorry for the team that I mightn’t help them and mightn’t give the fans the decisive game. It was an open match until 3:3, 4:3, then I broke myself and it got away from me .”
All in all, the home Davis Cup for Austria was a tricky experience from start to finish, broken only by the good double by Erler/Miedler and the continued good atmosphere in the Multiverse. “Yes, you have to say, a used weekend right from the start. Starting with the fact that Dominic can’t play, then with yesterday, when a 1-1 would probably have been difficult to justify. If you’re then 2-0 down and “You hear in the evening, okay, it’s going to be tight for the Ofi today,” Melzer summed up.
The ex-world-class man and now sports director praised Erler/Miedler. “The two doubles boys have to be praised once more. That’s what sets them apart in the Davis Cup.”
As recently as in Rijeka, the two had at least maintained Austria’s chances with a double victory when they were 0-2 behind. “It was a close game from the start. We stayed cool and continued to play every point with the fans behind us,” Miedler said. “At 4:5, 40:0 in the first set we actually felt safe and suddenly they had set point,” recalled Erler. In this game, the Tyrolean ran so far out of the court on a ball that he collided with Melzer, who was sitting on the bench. However, the duo fended off the set point and then played a flawless tiebreak.
Round two also went into the “Jeu decisif” without a break, which Erler/Miedler secured. Austria now has to do so on February 2nd/3rd. or February 3/4, 2024 once morest relegation from World Group I and missed the qualifying round. The draw for the next international match will take place on Wednesday (3 p.m. CEST) in London.
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