Croatia to face Germany in Davis Cup with strongest lineup

Croatia's Davis Cup captain Ivan Dodig has announced a formidable team for their upcoming qualifying tie against Germany. The squad includes seasoned players Marin Čilić, Nikola Mektić, and Mate Pavić, alongside rising talent Dino Prižmić. The crucial match is set to take place on September 19-20 in Halle, Germany, on a hard court.

The winner of this tie will advance to the final tournament in Bologna, Italy, from November 24-29. Dodig expressed his confidence in the selected team, stating, "We have registered the best squad we have and with which we want to try to achieve victory." He also mentioned the possibility of Borna Ćorić, who is returning from a lengthy injury, joining the team as support or even playing.

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We have registered the best squad we have and with which we want to try to achieve victory. We will still decide who will be with us as the fifth player. We have Borna Ćorić who is slowly returning after a long and difficult injury. I hope he will also be with us in the team as support, maybe as a player. We will see how things develop, we still have time to decide.

Germany, led by their captain Michael Kohlmann, has also announced a strong roster, featuring world No. 3 Alexander Zverev and Yannick Hanfmann for singles, and Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz for doubles. Both teams have the flexibility to name their fifth player later, with a deadline of August 22 for the initial nominations.

This encounter marks the fifth meeting between Croatia and Germany in the Davis Cup, but the first in over 15 years. Historically, Germany has held the advantage with three wins in their previous four ties. The last time these two nations met was in 2002, a match Croatia won.

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A big match awaits us against Germany. I hope it will be successful and that we will have many fans in Germany as well.