Working on comeback

ÖTV team only missing Ofner in Davis Cup against Finland

Austria's men's tennis team will face Finland in the Davis Cup duel on January 31st and February 1st with the best possible line-up. Only Sebastian Ofner, who is working on a comeback, will be missing from the international match in the Multiversum Schwechat. In addition to doubles specialists Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler, ÖTV captain Jürgen Melzer has also named Jurij Rodionov, Lukas Neumayer and Filip Misolic in his provisional squad. This was announced by the ÖTV on Monday.

Ofner had undergone operations on the heels of both feet in September and October. According to the association, Austria's number one only played his first shots on the court again shortly before the turn of the year. He will therefore make his comeback "at a later date". If the Austrians manage to advance without the 28-year-old Styrian, they will play in the second qualifying round against Canada or Hungary in mid-September for a ticket to the final tournament in Bologna in November.

"We'll see if we can pull off a surprise with this team," said ÖTV Sports Director Melzer. With Otto Virtanen (92nd in the current ATP ranking) and Emil Ruusuvuori (131st), the Finns have two players who are higher in the world rankings than Austria's best-ranked player in the Davis Cup, Rodionov (166th). In doubles, they can also rely on the reigning Wimbledon winner Harri Heliövaara. The match will be played on clay in Schwechat.