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“If you are in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup and you play against this German team, this is the opportunity to achieve something that has never happened before, to reach the final,” said Dutch captain Paul Haarhuis.
By this German team, Haarhuis means the team without Alexander Zverev, number two in the world. There is optimism for today’s match in Málaga (starting at 5 p.m.).
The same optimism was expressed in 1990, when the Netherlands made its debut against Germany in the World Group. Leader Boris Becker was missing from the Germans. “We still lost,” says former tennis player Tom Nijssen of that match in Bremen.
Zverev: ‘It was a demanding season’
Without Zverev, Jan-Lennard Struff (43rd on the ATP rankings) is the number one in the current German team, with Daniel Altmaier (88), Yannick Hanfmann (95) and doubles players Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.
It is a comparable level to the Netherlands, Haarhuis also said after the victory over Spain. The Dutch team will face Tallon Greekpoor (40), Botic van de Zandschulp (80), Jesper de Jong (111) and doubles player Wesley Koolhof.
Watch interviews with Dutch captain Paul Haarhuis, German captain Michael Kohlmann and Jesper de Jong below:
Zverev canceled to allow enough time to recover from breathing problems. In September he suffered from pneumonia. “It was a difficult decision, but I want to be 100 percent fit for the United Cup and the Australian Open,” he said. “It was a demanding season where I had to play with a knee injury to compete in the Olympics.”
It was partly Zverev’s choice for his individual career. He has never won a Grand Slam tournament. He has never been number one. It should happen for him next year.
Traitor
Zverev’s withdrawal was news in Germany, but did not cause a shock like in 1990, when superstar Becker withdrew.
For a moment the reports about German unification faded into the background. How did the idol think he would abandon his country? That criticism sounded. He was called a traitor.
Netherlands-Germany in the Davis Cup
| Year | Location | Rash |
| 1933 | Berlin | Germany – Netherlands 4-1 |
| 1958 | München | Germany – Netherlands 4-0 |
| 1961 | Scheveningen | Netherlands – West Germany 0-5 |
| 1990 | Bremen | West Germany – Netherlands 3-2 |
| 1995 | Utrecht | Netherlands – Germany 1-4 |
| 2000 | Leipzig | Germany – Netherlands 4-1 |
| 2001 | The Bosch | Netherlands – Germany 4-1 |
“Is West Germany in reality Becker? Or what conclusion should I draw?” Becker responded. “What do people actually expect from me? It is about systematically demanding a person and I oppose that.”
Becker already had three Wimbledon titles (1986, 1987, 1989) and a US Open victory (1989) to his name. In addition, he had led West Germany to victory in the Davis Cup in 1988 and 1989.
“We were happy that he did not participate,” says Nijssen. “That gave us hope. We remained the underdog. Carl-Uwe Steeb, Eric Jelen and Michael Stich were also good players.”
Becker was at that time, just like Zvevev now, number two in the world. He also wanted to take a shot at the position of number one and for that he could use some rest.
“Anyone who has stood up for Germany continuously for five years and with everything he has does not deserve to be accused of treason by a bunch of amateurs,” said 22-year-old Becker at the time.
‘Germany was completely tennis crazy’
“Despite Becker’s absence, there was a great atmosphere,” recalls Nijssen, now 60. “Tennis was real booming in Germany, the country went tennis crazy because of the performances of Becker and Steffi Graf.”
Without Becker there was German fear of a deception. Those fears turned out to be unfounded. Captain Stanley Franker’s Dutch team was no match for Becker-less Germany.
Watch the images below of the Davis Cup meetings between the Netherlands and Germany in 1990, 1995 and 2001:
Nijssen and Schapers had little to say in the singles against Jelen and Steeb respectively and in the doubles, against Jelen and the debuting Stich, things did not go well for the Dutch either.
Chances against Zverev-less Germany? ‘I believe in it’
The match was already over after three games, although Schapers and Nijssen made it a bearable score the next day (3-2) against the defending champion, partly due to a victory by Nijssen over Stich.
“It didn’t matter, but that victory over Stich was still nice,” says Nijssen. “He was an emerging talent at the time, a year later he won Wimbledon.”
The next round, Germany, still without Becker, defeated Argentina.
Nijssen gives the Dutch team a good chance to beat Zverev-less Germany today: “Botic and Tallon are strong and Wesley Koolhof was brilliant in the doubles against Spain. I believe in it.”
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