Olympic champion Alexander Zverev has led the German tennis gentlemen to the group stage of the Davis Cup. The 24-year-old won on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro against the Brazilian Thiago Monteiro with 6: 1, 7: 5 and thus brought the decisive third point for the German team in the finding part against Brazil. Already on Friday Zverev had convinced at the prolonged two-point win against Thiago Seyboth Wild.

Since Jan-Lennard Struff was then lost against Monteiro in three sentences, the German team was under pressure on the second day at the Olympia Park of Rio de Janeiro. But the double Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz brought the team of national coach Michael Kohlmann with a hard-fought 4: 6, 7: 6 (7: 4), 6: 4 against Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves and Bruno Soares on the winning road. “I think that was a very crucial match,” said Pütz. “For Alexander it is now much more pleasant to go to the square with a 2: 1 in the back.”

And indeed Zverev took the momentum of the double victory and left Monteiro from the beginning no chance. ZVEREV succeeded in the first sentence a quick break, so that the Brazilian initially did not come into the situation, as the day before struff push the viewers and bring behind them. After only 32 minutes Zverev secured the first sentence.

In the second round Monteiro then made more resistance. At the state of 4: 5 Zverev had to ward off even a sentence ball, the audience was now loud at the point and not always fair. But Zverev stayed calm and made the winning victory and progress perfectly with the first matchball. Then the German number one disappeared immediately without much cheers from the Center Court. The fifth single was no longer held after the decision.

Krawietz and Pütz pave the way

Krawietz and Pütz had great problems with the difficult space in the Olympia Park of Rio de Janeiro. In the first sentence Krawietz made a run loss, after 38 minutes the Brazilians brought the first sentence. In the second sentence, however, the German duo increased and managed the sentence equalization in Tiebreak. Krawietz and Pütz, who had won all four games at the final round last year, now had upper water and made the victory perfectly with the first matchball.

“It was a very difficult match, away in Brazil. If it stands 1: 1, the double is of course very important,” said Krawietz after victory. “We stayed calm and have also survived the critical moments well.”

The group phase takes place in September at four still to be determined. The German Tennis Federation also considered an application as an interior of a group. The final round is so far scheduled for November.