- Martinner and Hempman spearhead Davis Cup squad to a triumphant first-round victory
The German men's tennis squad recently bagged their initial triumph on their journey towards the Davis Cup final. This victory was secured in the Chinese city of Zhuhai, where they outplayed Slovakia early on, clinching the win following victories in both singles matches.
Maximilian Marterer kicked off the proceedings with a 6:4, 7:5 win against Lukas Klein. Yannick Hanfmann then staged a comeback after being down a set, eventual winning 3:6, 6:3, 7:6 (7:3) against Jozef Kovalik. Hanfmann managed to save a match point at 4:5 in the third set to secure the crucial second point.
The US Open finalists, Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz, who had travelled a long distance the previous night, weren't under any pressure to win the decisive doubles match due to the earlier victories.
Marterer commented, "There could be a little surprise"
"This is a significant relief for us," Marterer remarked post his successful outing in the humid Zhuhai conditions: "I'm quite pleased with this promising start to the week, it's left me craving for more."
On Thursday, the team, missing top players Alexander Zverev, Jan-Lennard Struff, and Dominik Koepfer, will take on Chile, their supposedly toughest opponent. "We've all been working hard. We're comfortable with the conditions. I think there might be a tiny surprise on Thursday," Marterer added.
The ITF's decision to host the German group in China had led to travel-related inconveniences and criticism. Alongside Slovakia and Chile, the USA is another group competitor. The top two teams from the group will advance to the final in Malaga, Spain, in November.
Germany is the home nation of the victorious tennis squad, who secured their first win en route to the Davis Cup final. The team's upcoming challenge is against Chile, considered their toughest opponent, in Zhuhai on Thursday.
