"I brought self-confidence" - Dominik Koepfer before the start in Hamburg
Since this week, Dominik Koepfer has been number three in German men's tennis after Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lennard Struff. However, the 26-year-old has never played a tournament at ATP level in Germany. The premiere takes place today, Tuesday, in his first round match at the Hamburg European Open against the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka.
by Florian Heer from Hamburg
last edit: Sep 21, 2020, 11:52 pm
Koepfer would like to build on his great run into the quarter-finals at the ATP Masters in Rome . As a qualifier and after victories over the French Gael Monfils and Alex de Minaur from Australia, he barely missed a sensational success over the world number one Novak Djokovic.
“It was the first time that I played against one of the greatest in tennis. If I'm honest, I didn't really believe it either, ”said Koepfer, describing his 3: 6, 6: 4, 3: 6 defeat last Saturday. “After 4-0 in the first set, I was still hoping not to get a clap, but then I was able to play more freely and realized that there was something in it against him. In the second set I played well and also made him freak out. In the third, the experience and strength may have been a little lacking. All in all, I can of course take away a lot of positive things from this, ”says Koepfer, who cares less about his ranking position and wants to improve further through good performances alone.
However, it is not easy for him to process the impressions from the Italian capital. “It's not easy to come back down and realize that we're starting from zero again. New tournament. Everyone has the same opportunities. But I brought self-confidence with me. And I try to show that too, ”says Koepfer, who is set up by his mental coach with“ reading tasks ”before a match.
Back in Germany
After several years of college tennis in the United States at Tulane University in New Orleans, a move into the second round at the ATP Challenger tournament in Heilbronn three years ago and his Davis Cup appearance against Belarus in March in Düsseldorf, the native is born Badener serve again at an international tournament in Germany. "The last time I was in Germany before Corona. It is special to be at home to speak German, even if it is not always easy for me because I am in the USA a lot. My family will come and see. That makes it special. "
Koepfer's mother grew up in Hamburg, and his grandpa was a regular at Rothenbaum for many years. However, he was never here as a child. The number 66 in the world also has to get used to the red ash that is widespread in Germany.
“As a junior I played a lot on clay. Then followed four years of college on hard courts. So the focus was more on this surface, ”says Koepfer, who also played many ITF tournaments in the United States for reasons of cost. "I feel very comfortable on sand and am happy that it works so well."
Start in Hamburg
The experience of playing on the modernized center court in Hamburg, however, is still denied Koepfer, at least for the time being. Against Nishioka it is "behind the closed door" on a side square to move into the second round. If the result is successful, Koepfer has the prospect of a game on perhaps Germany's most famous tennis court.