Tennis Bundesliga

Starting shot is the derby dress rehearsal

Immediately to the Challenger in Portugal instead of Salzburg: Lukas Neumayer.(Bild: GEPA pictures/ Mario Buehner-Weinrauch)

STC Team Salzburg will be without Neumayer today, Saturday, for their debut in the Tennis Bundesliga. Anif starts in Dornbirn before the two teams measure their strength in a week's time.

Serve for the Tennis Bundesliga! From today, TC GM-Sports Anif and the newly formed STC Rabbiter Team Salzburg will be competing for supremacy in the men's 1st Division in Group B in the city of Mozart. With the explosive derby coming up in a week's time, the kick-off is also a dress rehearsal.

Team Salzburg are eagerly awaiting their debut appearance in the Volksgarten (11 a.m. with the start of the doubles) against Steyr. "We're aiming for a win at the start. That would give us a good starting position in the battle for the semi-finals and to stay in the league," explains Salzburg returnee Gabriel Schmidt. But he also adds: "Steyr can line up really toxic though, plus there are always a lot of question marks before the first matchday."

Just like the great trepidation surrounding players who are still in action at tournaments. For example, the Germans Jebens and Schnaitter were shaky. And it was also clear that Team Salzburg's number one Neumayer would be jetting off to the Challenger in Oeiras (Por) after his elimination in Mauthausen, where he had to play in the qualifiers. Neuchrist is standing in for him.

Neo-Anifer Gerald Melzer was eliminated in Mauthausen on Friday. His team has to play in Dornbirn today.

Men's Bundesliga, Saturday: 1st Division Group B: STC Team Salzburg - Steyr (11), Dornbirn - GM-Sports Anif; Mauthausen is not playing. - Group B: Eisenstadt - Harland, Hartberg - Schwaz; Strasbourg not playing.