The draw for the Davis Cup-International fight Austria against Belgium didn’t bring any special surprises on Thursday right under the Vienna Ferris Wheel. Jürgen Melzer offers in singles besides Yuri Rodionov also Luke Neumayer on. Rodionov opens the second qualifying round encounter against Gauthier Onclin on Friday (1 p.m./live ORF 1), after which Neumayer meets the Belgian number one, Zizou Bergs.
Die Decision only falls on Saturday (from 11 a.m.), where doubles and up to two further singles will be played. According to the plan, first Lucas Miedler meets debutant Neil Oberleitner against Sander Gille/Joran Veilen, then the numbers one, Rodionov and Bergs, and numbers two, Neumayer and Onclin. Of course, the lineups can still change. The winner will be in the field of the best eight nations in the world in Italy from November 24th to 29th.
The ÖTV team, which won 3-2 against Japan in Tokyo at the beginning of February after a 1-2 deficit, has set itself the goal of qualifying for the second consecutive qualification for the financially lucrative Final 8 in Bologna. Last year they had to play against Italy at the start and lost 2-0 to the hosts and eventual winners in the quarter-finals.