MALAGA (AP) — Ex-pro Patrick Kuhnen sees special team spirit as possibly the deciding factor in the German tennis men’s tough Davis Cup quarterfinal against Canada.
Without Olympic champion Alexander Zverev, who is still on a break due to injury, the German team in Malaga will be a clear outsider in the duel. “The German team has an extremely strong cohesion. It has often shown that players can surpass themselves with a strong team spirit,” Kuhnen (56), who is currently an expert on the ATP Finals, told the German press Working for Sky. The Agency: “A great opportunity for the German team.”
Without Zverev, the German tennis men made it to the final round of the prestigious team competition in Hamburg in September. Like Hamburg, team boss Michael Kollmann relied on Jan-Lennard Struff, Oscar Otte, substitute Yannick Hanfmann and doubles Kevin Kravitz/Tim Putz for the knockout rounds.
“You shouldn’t forget that Germany has an extremely strong doubles team. Even if the Canadians are the favourites, there is definitely potential for the German team,” said Kuhnen, a former Davis Cup captain. The Canadians have world number six Felix Auger-Aliassime and world no. Denis Shapovalov nominated.
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