Davis Cup against Turkey

Good news from the weather gods ahead of the tennis highlight

Jurij Rodionov (left), Austria's number one, opens Friday's duel against Turkey.(Bild: GEPA)

The Davis Cup duel against Turkey begins tomorrow Friday (1 pm) in Bad Waltersdorf. A rain break in the afternoon gives the organizers and tennis fans hope. A bitter pill to swallow from a Styrian perspective: local hero Filip Misolic from Graz will have to sit on the substitutes' bench in the East Styrian spa town.

Austria goes into Friday's Davis Cup clash against Turkey in Bad Waltersdorf as the clear favorite. The weather is probably more of a concern than the opponent. Torrential rain has been forecast for almost the entire country. The organizers have done everything possible to ensure that the center court in the spa town can be played on.

"It is covered with a tarpaulin and a drainage system has been laid. We are well prepared," explains OC boss Sascha Freitag, who also has good news from the weather gods: There should be a rain-free phase on Friday afternoon. If the rain does salt the soup, it will still be possible to play. "Then we would have to move to a hall, but we are in good spirits," says Styrian ÖTV Vice President Jürgen Roth.

I'm not disappointed, I support the captain's decision.

Lokalmatador Filip Misolic

"We hope for dry weather and good matches," said substitute captain Alex Peya, who is standing in for Jürgen Melzer, who is ill. Yuri Rodionov will open as number one against Yanki Erel. "We have good chemistry in the team. I hope we can bring that to the court," said Rodionov, who played in the Challenger final in Chassis (Fra) on Monday. "Especially before the Davis Cup, it's good to be in a final."

Local hero Filip Misolic from Graz is only there as a substitute.(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

Davis Cup debutant Lukas Neumayer's time has come in the second singles. He was given preference over the Styrian local hero Filip Misolic. "I'm not disappointed, I support the captain's decision and I'm happy that Luki can play his first match," says the man from Graz." 
Davis Cup (Friday from 1 pm): Austria - Turkey: Rodionov - Erel, Neumayer - Ilkel.