Stefan Koubek in a tennisnet interview: "I got on very well with Thomas Muster"
Stefan Koubek's tenure as Austrian Davis Cup captain came to an end with the Davis Cup finals in Innsbruck. In an interview with tennisnet.com, Koubek talks about formative matches, challenging captains and the opportunities in South Korea.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Dec 10, 2021, 03:41 pm
tennisnet : Mr. Koubek. When you look back on your time as the Davis Cup captain, what highlights will you remember?
Stefan Koubek : The biggest, positive surprise was of course the victory in Russia. But: The very first game in Sweden in 2015 was extremely interesting. There Gerald Melzer got the decisive point at 2-2 (against Christian Lindell, editor's note). Gerald is known to feel most comfortable on sand, but played a really good game there on hard court. In addition: not everyone was happy in advance when I said that Gerald was playing. But then he delivered.
tennisnet : What did you, as captain, give your players from the experiences of your active time?
Koubek : I played the Davis Cup myself for over ten years. And games like 1999 against Magnus Gustafsson are simply remembered. I won with 10: 8 in the fifth set, in the last game it was 40: 0 with Gustafsson's serve - and I broke him. It was a sensation that we boys were able to defeat the then still strong tennis nation Sweden with Magnus Norman, Gustafsson and Thomas Johansson. Markus Hipfl won against Norman on Friday, I lost to him because on the last day I was just as exhausted as Gustafsson. Who, in turn, looked against Markus.
tennisnet : Glorious memories ...
Koubek : The most important things a Davis Cup captain can give his players, however, are different: namely in matches that you go into nervously, in which you are unsure. As with games in front of your own audience, where you may have failed before. As an outsider, you can't understand that. To say: "You are an outsider, go in, just play" - of course that is far too little. You play for the nation, you play for your team that you've been with all week. It's a different burden than in a tournament. I played a terribly bad game against Denmark, was two sets and breakpoint behind - and still won. This is of course different in the format nowadays. Things can happen quickly.
tennisnet : Did one of the captains influence you during your active time with the way you then acted as team boss yourself?
Koubek : At the beginning the situation with Günter Bresnik was of course great. He was my coach too. It felt like I always had to do a little more because I came from him. Günter also implemented that. I learned a lot there. When you become more experienced, when you have established yourself in the ATP circus, that changes. You become more independent. But I got along very well with Thomas Muster, for example. With Tom you always had the feeling that he was playing on the bench. You can't give up on the personality and ambition of Muster. That was good for me. Back then I went to Graz a week earlier and trained with him. It was on and off with Gilbert Schaller. We were actually good friends, then there was something - but that is also part of it. The captain has to make a decision. And the players have to live with it.
tennisnet : Did you get into such a situation as a captain yourself?
Koubek : The first one was in Sweden in 2015. Back then everyone expected Jürgen to play. But he wasn't in a good mood and then came to me himself and said I should let Gerald play. Of course I always tried to make the decisions together with the players. Where I stood a little bit was maybe at the last Davis Cup in Innsbruck: where I decided not to let Jurij Rodionov play until Sunday. During training I had the impression that Gerald Melzer had more self-confidence. And that Jurij could maybe get tight. He wasn't happy with my decision.
tennisnet : Gerald Melzer played against Serbia. And very well.
Koubek : Exactly. I also discussed this with Jürgen, who was the team's sports director. he also saw Gerald up front for Friday. Not everyone was happy that I let Jurij play on Sunday. Ultimately, however, Jurij got the only point for us at the weekend.
tennisnet : How was Gerald Melzer's coaching planned on Friday? Jürgen Melzer accompanied his brother very intensively through the match.
Koubek : That is obvious. It is also clear that Gerald has more confidence in Jürgen. That was also agreed. I asked Jürgen to take Gerald to heart because he knows him better than anyone else. As a captain, I never had to do everything myself. If a player wanted to bring his coach with him, then he could do that. In the Davis Cup, the captain has to make sure that the environment is right, that everyone is in a good mood. Because the players are experienced, they travel around with their coaches all year round. They don't need anyone to tell them what to do. With a double that scratches 80 together, that would also be madness. It's different with a young group.
tennisnet : So the long leash worked?
Koubek : I believe that you can give the players freedom. Because they are on their own for the rest of the year. My only requirement was: I want you to be ready on game day. And I'll help you with that. If I'm supposed to get up at six to train, I'll do that too. You just have to communicate to me what you want.
tennisnet : Now this special constellation has arisen that when you reach the final round in 2022, you will be part of the final tournament alongside the new captain Jürgen Melzer as co-coach. How come?
Koubek : Because one or the other player wanted it that way. Usually, a retired captain doesn't want to have anything to do with the whole thing. It is not important to me to be in the foreground. As nice as it was the last six or seven years. I'm concerned with the matter. I want to help the players. And there was this wish. But that's how I started as a captain: If the players don't accept a team boss, people talk stupid from behind - and nothing comes out of the front.
tennisnet: Austria has to go to South Korea next spring. How do you rate this game?
Koubek : Basically, I think the draw is good. It's not nice that we have an away game. South Korea is already a little way away. And the timing is also difficult. Of course I hope that our top players are there and that we qualify because it's another great opportunity. Number one, Soon-Woo Kwon, isn't easy, but it can be cracked. But behind that we are at the front in the paper form. We're favorites in doubles and number two.