Oscar Otte in the DTB interview: "I was speechless at first"
Oscar Otte celebrates his premiere in the German Davis Cup team this week. In an interview with the German Tennis Association (DTB), the 28-year-old talks about the importance of team competitions in tennis and why he is playing so well right now.
by DTB
last edit:
Mar 04, 2022, 08:25 pm
Oscar, this is your first time at the Davis Cup. what does that mean to you?
It's definitely a dream come true. I've always said that I would like to play for Germany in the Davis Cup or at the Olympics. When the news came: "Oscar, you're in Brazil", I was speechless at first. Putting on the shirt with the imprint “Germany” on it feels really good.
You're 28 now, have your highest ranking in the world rankings at 77 this week and are in the Davis Cup. What makes you so strong right now?
I think it's two things. For one thing, it took me a little bit to realize for myself that I can compete up there and beat good people. The success at the US Open in particular got me further there, as I won many close matches, including saved match points. I now believe more in my own strength. In addition, my body has stabilized through a lot of training and I have stayed healthy. That has been a problem for the past few years.
If you play, do you see it as additional pressure for Germany to play in front of a lot of fans in Brazil, or how do you deal with that?
It is something else if you are only responsible for yourself or an entire team. But I know that from the Bundesliga. Of course I'll be nervous, but I've found ways to deal with it well. As a guy, I like it when there's a lot of spectators, even if they're against you. That gives me an extra push.
What is your first impression of the team and the conditions on site?
The atmosphere is really great and I was very well received here. The entire support team has been together for a long time. It's a tight-knit community that makes it easy for newcomers to join. The conditions here feel good to me. Acapulco, where I played last, is a hard court but a relatively slow one, so the difference isn't that big. And the temperatures are even a bit more pleasant here.