Davis Cup: Former pro Karl-Uwe Stieb and his best anecdotes – TENNIS

Karl-Uwe Stieb (55) new position! The man from Stuttgart has received the Davis Cup 3 times and will now return to the competitors in a brand new position.

The ex-skilled will touch upon the conflict between Germany and Switzerland in Trier on sportbild.de from Friday. The knowledgeable subsequent to him: Misha Zverev (35), brother and supervisor of Olympic champion Alexander Zverev (25).

BILD: Mr. Stieb, are you wanting ahead to your new position?

Steve: “Yes very a lot!” Many years in the past I labored as a ZDF analyst. I’m wanting ahead to being near tennis once more.”

BILD: Advice for the sport?

Steve: “The duel is totally open. Zverev is the best participant. But you may should see how he is fared after a seven-month damage layoff and an early exit from the Australian Open. But, after all, he’s the favourite in each particular person video games.”

BILD: He might face Stan Wawrinka.

Steve: “It will likely be an fascinating match! Stan cannot be judged on a world rating that is not within the high 100. It can all the time be very harmful with its actions. Especially within the corridor the place every little thing is slightly sooner. In addition, the “best of 5” is not performed, which could be a bonus for the outsider.

BILD: Who is quantity 2 in Germany for you?

Steve: “Team boss Michael Kohlmann must see who is best in coaching, Oskar Otte or Daniel Altmaier. I might see Jan-Lennard Struff because the second singles participant due to his expertise, however sadly he’s injured. I feel we’ll win regardless of who performs and not simply within the final recreation. It will likely be fascinating, however we’ve got the house benefit.”

BILD: How do you see the way forward for the Davis Cup?

Steve: “First of all, altering the regime was a giant mistake. Reform sure, however no. What makes the Davis Cup particular is the house rule. It creates an environment for the gamers and followers and it makes it aggressive. Playing out of the country of two nations with out your personal followers is lethal. On the opposite hand, the previous format of every yr is an excessive amount of for the calendar. That’s why I feel: the previous format, however as soon as each two years in odd years in order to not conflict with the Olympics.”

BILD: You have simply advocated reforming the previous format. What precisely do you imply?

Steve: “What wasn’t good in regards to the previous format was the November/December finals and the primary spherical straight after the Australian Open in January. Anyone who misplaced there as a finalist needed to go straight to the relegation spherical. We ought to take into consideration saying goodbye to the finalists within the first spherical subsequent yr.”

BILD: What did you want about the home legislation with its nice ambiance?

Steve: “For a staff to arrange for an opponent like in Trier and play towards a rustic to have an actual Davis Cup closing on the finish of the season. Of course, the workload of those groups is excessive, however it solely impacts these two nations.”

BILD: What would you alter?

Steve: “Also, you possibly can play best-of-5 from the semi-finals. It outlined the Davis Cup in the identical means that it defines the Grand Slams. These epic matches will likely be remembered many years later in each competitions. All this has been eliminated within the new format.”

BILD: What reminiscences come to thoughts whenever you consider your time there?

Steve: “Playing for the nation and the staff was the most important factor for all of us. I feel it was additionally nice for Boris Becker, who was a lot larger than us when it comes to earnings. A staff expertise is one thing particular whenever you journey alone all yr spherical. That’s what makes the Davis Cup particular.”

BILD: Apart out of your three achievements, have been there any particular episodes that you’ll always remember?

Steve: “We ought to have gone to Brazil and we misplaced within the shade in 40 levels. When the rating was 2:2, I used to be presupposed to play the deciding singles recreation, however sadly Markus Tzoeke misplaced on match level and I did not should play anymore. “Even although we misplaced at the moment, I used to be a bit relieved that I did not should play the deciding recreation as a result of my kind wasn’t that good both.”

BILD: What methods do underdogs like Brazil use towards the favorites?

Steve: “We can stick with Brazil. Our stringer arrived solely three days earlier than the sport, earlier than which the rackets have been already strung by the Brazilians. But the rackets all the time returned ten kilograms too little. You can go away the train alone. Our captain Niki Pilic needed to endure plenty of criticism from us.”

BILD: Niki Pilic was really a fox…

Steve: “Yes, he undoubtedly was. He all the time introduced the quickest carpet from his native Yugoslavia to our dwelling Davis Cup video games. It was the quickest web page you possibly can play. Boris was undefeated on this regard, and there have been additionally {couples} with him and Eric. Our opponents weren’t prepared for this. The World Association later modified the foundations and required a venue that had hosted a minimum of three tournaments earlier than.”

BILD: How did you become involved with carpet?

Steve: “Not good. I needed to play my first recreation in Essen towards Brazil. They have been similar to, “What is that this? There is one thing like this in the lounge at dwelling.’ They could not do something with him.”

BILD: How was the Davis Cup victory celebrated at the moment?

Steve: “I sat on the disco and did not sleep for a second earlier than I left. The day after our first victory in Gothenburg, we have been obtained by our federal president. Patrick Keunen and I fell asleep within the automobile earlier than the airport choose-up, and the trophy was with us. Unfortunately, the driving force received misplaced on the way in which from the airport to Villa Hammerschmidt and we have been delayed by an hour. We have been fully embarrassed, however all of the company and Richard von Weizsäcker have been type sufficient to attend for us.”