Davis-Cup
Austria’s Davis Cup team will be on 16./17. Play at home against Pakistan in the play-off against relegation to World Group I. That was the result of the draw on Thursday in London. Captain Jürgen Melzer’s squad was seeded as the first team. At the beginning of March, the Austrians lost 3-1 to South Korea in Melzer’s coaching debut in the qualifying round for the 2022 final tournament.
“Pakistan at home was my dream. The best thing is to play at home against an opponent who is not necessarily one of the strongest of the twelve nations. That is the case here,” said Melzer, who is also ÖTV sports director. “If we claim to want to play for a place in the final tournament again in 2023, then we have to win this duel. I am absolutely convinced that we will be playing for the final tournament again next year.”
The Austrians have never played against the Pakistanis, so the choice of place was made by drawing lots. The first duel now offers a very good chance of staying up. The only player currently in the singles world rankings from Pakistan is Ahmed Choudhary at position 1,565. However, the 28-year-old played his last ITF tournament in May 2019 in Uganda.
It looks a bit different in doubles, here Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi is 47th better than all Austrians. Most recently, the 42-year-old was in the doubles final at the ATP 250 tournament in Delray Beach. Qureshi holds 18 doubles titles on the tour. “Pakistan obviously has a very experienced, strong doubles player in Qureshi, but we’re still favorites at home,” said Melzer.
Pakistan thanks to victory over Lithuania in the play-off
At the time of the ÖTV defeat against South Korea, the Pakistanis qualified for the play-off with a 3-2 home win against Lithuania. Aside from Qureshi, the only players on the team were non-world-ranked players in the form of 42-year-old Aqeel Khan, 20-year-old Muhanmad Shoaib and 27-year-old Muhammad Abid. Qureshi played in doubles with Khan and, at a score of 2:2, also competed in the decisive singles – ultimately successful. Other single players were Khan and also Shoaib on the first day.
“I watched a few clips of Pakistan’s win over Lithuania, they played on grass, a very deep bouncing grass. I haven’t talked to our players about their preferred surface yet, but the one we’ll choose will definitely not compare to the one Pakistan played at home,” said Melzer.
The new ÖTV President Martin Ohneberg was also “in good spirits that we should have the upper hand here with our team and can play for a place in the final tournament again in 2023”.
