As soon as Henri Squire joined the national team, he went again. The Duisburg-born tennis star didn’t make the Davis Cup wonder as he returned to everyday life.
Away from the Chinese city of Zhuhai, where the German team had a successful week and, after winning twice in three group matches, they managed to enter the final round of the best-of-eight Davis Cup in Málaga, Spain, to Bad Waltersdorf, where the competition of Challenger. it starts on monday.
In Austria, Squire, who is ranked 187th in the world, will get his money’s worth in the second tour group after his popularity in China did not go well. He lost his first Davis Cup match on Saturday against American Reilly Opelka, once ranked 17th in the world, despite having a match 7:6 (7:4), 6:7 (9:11), 3:6.
Kohlmann praises the B group
“I overcame all the odds,” Squire said before leaving for Vienna: “I hope the next time I step into the locker room I win in Germany.” Germany’s seventh best player.
There are indications that Squire’s debut will be his last for now. Because unlike Zhuhai, where the top German tennis stars around Alexander Zverev did not want to travel from time to time, Málaga is not outside the country. Now “they will make a few calls with those who have not been there this time,” said Davis Cup captain Michael Kohlmann on Saturday after the unexpected end of the group stage.
After two 3-0 victories against Slovakia and Chile, the selection of the German Tennis Federation was enough to make it to the final round from November 19 to 24 before losing 1-2 to the USA. “These guys deserve credit, they did an amazing job,” Kohlmann said, praising his B team, where Yannik Hanfmann and Maximilian Marterer won doubles.
Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz made three defenses and became Germany’s top scorer in Davis Cup history with 13 wins (one loss).
The finals will be played next Thursday, and next Monday Kohlmann has to choose the first players in Málaga. If Alexander Zverev, Jan-Lennard Struff and Dominik Koepfer are interested, then they will be at the top of Kohlmann’s list. Zhuhai’s heroes have to do and keep their fingers crossed.