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

Karl-Uwe Stieb (55) new position! The man from Stuttgart has gained 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 skilled subsequent to him: Misha Zverev (35), brother and supervisor of Olympic champion Alexander Zverev (25).

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

Steve: “Yes very a lot!” Many years in the past I labored as a ZDF analyst. I’m trying 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 will should see how he is fared after a seven-month damage layoff and an early exit from the Australian Open. But, in fact, he’s the favourite in each particular person video games.”

BILD: He could face Stan Wawrinka.

Steve: “It might be an attention-grabbing match! Stan cannot be judged on a world rating that is not within the high 100. It can at all times be very harmful with its actions. Especially within the corridor the place every little thing is a bit sooner. In addition, the “best of 5” is now not performed, which will be a bonus for the outsider.

BILD: Who is quantity 2 in Germany for you?

Steve: “Team boss Michael Kohlmann must see who is healthier in coaching, Oskar Otte or Daniel Altmaier. I’d see Jan-Lennard Struff because the second singles participant due to his expertise, however sadly he’s injured. I believe we are going to win regardless of who performs and not simply within the final sport. It might be attention-grabbing, however we’ve the house benefit.”

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

Steve: “First of all, altering the regime was an enormous 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 overseas of two nations with out your personal followers is lethal. On the opposite hand, the outdated format of every 12 months is an excessive amount of for the calendar. That’s why I believe: the outdated format, however as soon as each two years in odd years in order to not conflict with the Olympics.”

BILD: You have simply advocated reforming the outdated format.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

Steve: “What wasn’t good concerning the outdated format was the November/December finals and the primary spherical straight after the Australian Open in January.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 12 months.”

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

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

BILD: What would you alter?

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

BILD: What recollections come to thoughts once you consider your time there?

Steve: “Playing for the nation and the crew was the most important factor for all of us. I believe it was additionally nice for Boris Becker, who was a lot increased than us by way of earnings. A crew expertise is one thing particular once you journey alone all 12 months spherical. That’s what makes the Davis Cup particular.”

BILD: Apart out of your three achievements, had 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 speculated to play the deciding singles sport, 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 sport as a result of my kind wasn’t that good both.”

BILD: What methods do underdogs like Brazil use in opposition to the favorites?

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

BILD: Niki Pilic was truly a fox…

Steve: “Yes, he positively was. He at all times introduced the quickest carpet from his native Yugoslavia to our dwelling Davis Cup video games. It was the quickest web page you may 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 principles 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 sport in Essen in opposition to Brazil. They had been identical 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 had been acquired by our federal president. Patrick Keunen and I fell asleep within the automobile earlier than the airport decide-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 had been delayed by an hour. We had been utterly embarrassed, however all of the friends and Richard von Weizsäcker had been type sufficient to attend for us.”