Davis Cup: Djokovic, Thiem, Zverev - the potential for a hammer group
Novak Djokovic,Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem potentially in a group - all other packages of three cannot keep up with the Davis Cup final tournament.
by Robin Huiber
last edit: Mar 13, 2020, 07:53 am
There is no small one anymore, the then German national coach Berti Voigts held for eternity in the early 1990s. This can actually be said for tennis, where almost everyone can beat everyone. From this perspective, it could be argued that all final groups drawn on Thursday are equally difficult to master. But of course that's not true. Because while the Canadians in Group B with Denis Shapovalov and Félix Auger-Aliassime are clearly to be favored against both Kazakhstan and Sweden, Austrians, Germans and Serbs got it very differently. Namely each other. In group F.
Now there were three top ten players colliding, should Alexander Zverev feel compelled to make his debut at the second edition of the final tournament. He would meet Novak Djokovic - and buddy Dominic Thiem, should the swell after the qualification of the Austrians against Uruguay have smoothed out again. What would also turn the attention to the number two players: Austria has Dennis Novak to offer, who always seems to be able to achieve his best performances in the Davis Cup.
The advantage in this regard clearly lies with Michael Kohlmann's team: Because if Zverev competed with Jan-Lennard Struff, the German team boss would have the man in the talon who almost single -handedly bent the Belarusians in Düsseldorf. Struff would be in the favorites role against Novak, as well as against the Serbian number two, regardless of whether this is Filip Krajinovic (as in the final tournament 2019) or Dusan Lajovic (as in the ATP Cup).
Question marks behind Kyrgios and Cilic
In Group D, an interesting duel between Croatia and Australia could develop, depending on the health of two potential main protagonists: Nick Kyrgios and Marin Cilic. The Spaniards are big favorites in Group A against the surprise guests from Ecuador (who qualified in Japan), the Russians around Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov will be a bigger challenge.
In addition to Serbia, France had enjoyed an ITF wildcard, the biggest opponents in Group C should be the British with the revived Daniel Evans. Will Andy Murray do another possible assignment so late in the season? We will see. In group E, the team from the USA is listed as set, but the role of favorites is probably more the Italians. If they can compete with the best.
Here is the grouping for the Davis Cup final tournament 2020
| Group A | Spain, Russia, Ecuador |
| Group B | Canada, Kazakhstan, Sweden |
| Group C | France, Great Britain, Czech Republic |
| Group D | Croatia, Australia, Hungary |
| Group E | USA, Italy, Colombia |
| Group F | Serbia, Germany, Austria |