If you drive to Hamburg these days, you will find advertisements for the Davis Cup in many corners of the city. This could give the impression that Alexander Zverev is the only German tennis player who wants to challenge France, Belgium and Australia in the so-called group stage, because the Olympic champion shines from every reason – mostly combative and in tennis gear.
Now Zverev had to cancel his participation on Monday and therefore one day before the start of the games at the venerable Rothenbaum facility due to an injury. The Davis Cup still takes place, but he has lost his most important driving force. Now the players behind Zverev have to fix it, just like in the recent past. As is well known, the best German professional is not friends with the new format, but he would have liked to make an exception for the matches in his hometown.
Would there have been more spectators at the match against France? There were around 1,500 of them in Germany’s opening match on Wednesday, which the hosts won 2-1. The center pitch, equipped with a hard court for the Davis Cup, hosts around 10,000 fans, so it was possible to examine in detail the different colors of the seats in the stands.
It is simply brutal.
Jan-Lennard Struff on the high ticket prices for the Davis Cup in Hamburg.
Jan-Lennard Struff was asked after his 6: 4, 2: 6, 7: 5 first singles win against Benjamin Bonzi if he was shocked when he stepped onto the pitch when he saw the many empty seats. “I was more shocked when I saw the ticket prices. It’s just brutal,” said the 32-year-old Davis Cup veteran with disarming honesty.
There are in fact no cheaper tickets than 75 euros for German matches. And in this category, there are only a few seats in midfield: the more the fan wants to be close to the action, the more expensive it gets. In the lower range it is well over 100 euros. Even for days when Germany does not play, at least 65 euros are due for tickets. No wonder the stands have been so scarce so far: only a few hundred spectators in Australia’s 3-0 win against Belgium on Tuesday. And on both days, the loudest spectators were on the team benches or directly behind them.
However, Struff thanked those present and said: “The fans have given me a lot of support.” Among these fans there was also Alexander Zverev, who after his cancellation had at least offered his team the services of “cheerleader” and at least Wednesday Trouble, even if he did not keep him in his place for the duration of the three. match.
Under the closed roof, there was something like a cool but at least dry mood on Wednesday. In the second match of Oscar Otte against Adrian Mannarino, the fans could not do without, the Frenchman was clearly the best player and won 6: 4 and 6: 3. “It was my first Davis Cup game. It is always difficult. But I still enjoyed it, “Otte said and hopes things will go much better against Belgium on Friday. So maybe he will play in front of more spectators?” Of course it would be nice. I hope that something is still possible there “.
Against the French, in the end, it was the German double that counted, who in the Tim Pütz / Kevin Krawietz team was still unbeaten in the Davis Cup – and should remain so. There was a tough 6: 2, 3: 6, 7: 6 (7: 1) fight against Nicolas Mahut and Arthur Rinderknech. A win in Friday’s second game against Belgium could perhaps be enough for the German side to advance to the finals in Malaga.
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