The Alpstar Austria Billie Jean King Cup team does not want to give up in front of the USA – ÖTV

There are only three days left before David Goliath claims: As an unquestionably blatant outsider, the Alpstar Austria Billie Jean King Cup team goes into the qualifying round for the Billie Jean King Cup at the 2023 Finals Gainbridge against the USA in Delray Beach on Friday (to be seen Friday from 6:00 PM local time = 12:00 AM CEST and Saturday from 2:00 PM local time = 8:00 PM CEST, each exclusively on www.oetv.tv). Last Saturday, the team arrived around ÖTV Billie Jean King Cup leader and sports coordinator Marion Maruska with support staff and Barbara Haas. Julia Graber flew in directly from the WTA tournament in Charleston, Singa Krause and Melanie Klavner traveled from the WTA event in Bogota, and Tamira Paszek previously traveled to the US state of Florida. ÖTV sports director and Davis Cup captain Jürgen Melzer also arrived outside on Monday night and joined the squad.

Career Heights and Top Shape: Prerequisites are right

“We have been received very kindly here, everything suits us,” Maruska reports after the first few days on the site. “We have here our own contact person who takes care of everything if we need anything. It’s usually just little things, but every wish comes true.” Meanwhile, preparations are in full swing: “We trained for the first time on Sunday, when the weather was nice. On Monday, it was really difficult because it was very windy and it rained again and again. We were still able to train twice as planned, But it was really tough to play this time.” However, first impressions of the Delray Beach Tennis Center are very positive: “You have a total of five hard courts here, two of which are set up like center court. So the US has a hard court all day and so do we.” The center field can only be played on Tuesdays, and there is still work to be done. But it is a big stadium, really huge” – after all, the stadium offers space for 4,000 spectators. Billie Jean King, who named the national championship after her, is also expected to be present on match days.

The top two women from ÖTV enter the week of international competition with new career-high rankings. With her victory and reaching the round of 16 at the WTA 500 event in Charleston, Grabher played No. 78 in the world’s top 80 for the first time, Kraus knocked loudly after her first WTA main draw win at the 250 Championships in Bogota as No. 153 in the top 150. So The shape is perfect. An impression that has also been confirmed in training so far: “The referee may have been a little more difficult due to the bad weather conditions, but I have the feeling that our women hit the ball very well and are in perfect condition,” he said. Maruska with confidence, to be able to stand up to the United States. This will also require the top level, as the USA can muster the numbers three and six in the world, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff. With two players in the top six, the US women, who did not practice on site on Monday, last competed in an international match in 2005.

American ladies with kenin instead of keys – also in fig

However, the form seems to be suitable for flight attendants as well. Pegula was only stopped in the semifinals in Charleston, which due to weather could not be held until Sunday, the final day. Danielle Rose Collins, ranked 39th, the fifth-best singles player in the country, also won the doubles competition in the US state of South Carolina. However, the USA made a line-up change: Madison Keys (WTA 21), the third strongest player in her country, was replaced by Sofia Kenin (WTA 134), the recent winner of the Australian Open and the 2020 French Open finalist. The Tennis Association did not submit The USTA officially gives a reason for this, but the effects are likely to be marginal anyway, as Cathy Rinaldi’s team is likely to rely on the Pegula/Goff premiere duo anyway. “They have a very strong team either way – of course we’re complete underdogs,” Maruska was aware. But the dream of the USA’s Goliath stumbling for the third year in a row after 2002 and 2004 still exists. “We will definitely do everything we can,” Lower Austria assured.

Program of the international match USA – Austria

Wednesday, 19:00 CEST: Meet the captain
Wednesday, 24:00 CEST: formal dinner
Thursday, 5:30 pm CEST: The draw ceremony at the official hotel “Al-Rai”
Friday, 24:00 CEST: Start of round 1 (live on www.oetv.tv)
Saturday, 20:00 CEST: Start of the second round (live on www.oetv.tv)