Many tennis heroes have been born in the Davis Cup.

Heroes for a day who surpassed themselves in a match and contributed the decisive point to the team victory.

Heroes for a season who led their national team to the final success as exceptional talent.

And enduring heroes who only come together occasionally, but always deliver reliable results over and over again.

Thomas Klemm

sports editor.

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The German Tennis Association (DTB) had hoped this year to have a second-category hero in Alexander Zverev;

one that leads the team from qualifying in Brazil to the final round in Málaga, Spain, and in the best-case scenario to their fourth Davis Cup triumph.

Unbeatable for every opponent

But now that the intended leader is injured, three other Germans have become tennis heroes in Hamburg and each contributed in their own way to the brilliant 2-1 win over France in the first group match of the second round.

"We have shown that we are a community," said DTB team boss Michael Kohlmann after the first Davis Cup victory over the French in almost unbelievable 84 years.

On the one hand there is Jan-Lennard Struff from Warstein, whose season is going more badly than well.

The 32-year-old has slipped so low in the world rankings that he has to fight his way back up through second-class Challenger tournaments, but represented Zverev excellently as a single player against France.

On the other hand, there are Kevin Krawietz from Coburg and Tim Pütz from Frankfurt, who succeed with other doubles partners in everyday life on the professional tour, but in their occasional joint appearances seem unbeatable for every opponent.

Both Struff and Krawietz/Pütz started their matches strongly on Wednesday, then lost the thread a bit and also fell behind in the third set after early service losses.

With courage, skill and luck, they turned heroic: Struff won the decisive round against Benjamin Bonzi 7:5, Krawietz/Pütz made it even more gripping against Nicolas Mahut/Arthur Rinderknech and won 7:6 after a tie-break.

"I'm particularly happy for Jan-Lennard after his many close defeats: It's great to take it into your own hands and tear it around," said team boss Kohlmann after the opening win, which could pave the way to the final round at the end of November.

At least the DTB selection in Hamburg has it in their own hands to become at least second in the group with further victories against Belgium this Friday (2 p.m. on DAZN and Servus TV) and Australia on Sunday (2 p.m. on DAZN and Servus TV) and themselves to qualify for the finals of the top eight.

Team spirit on a small scale

A great atmosphere in the team helps to become a sporting hero;

one that is free of vanity and jealousy, as they have prevailed in previous Davis Cup teams around the big egos Becker/Stich or Kiefer/Haas.

"We've had a great team for a long time," Struff describes the feel-good atmosphere, which has a performance-enhancing effect.

Oscar Otte, who after Zverev's failure in his Davis Cup debut had to appear as German number one right away and had no chance against Adrian Mannarino, also feels safe in this.

Struff proved how far the mutual respect goes with his statement that he "would have gladly accepted it", Zverev could have played and he only had to press the bench himself.

The doubles specialists Krawietz and Pütz show how well team spirit can work on a small scale.

They are competitors at ATP tournaments, in the Davis Cup the two harmonize splendidly even after they have missed a number of balls and maneuvered themselves into almost hopeless situations.

"Pützi stay calm, I stay calm," Krawietz explains the common strength succinctly.

They have all won their six international appearances, although they have usually only been able to train together once before.

"The fact that they don't play together on the tour might help because the freshness and the unexpected are there," said Kohlmann.

The home advantage in Hamburg does the rest.

The ranks are only sparsely filled.

But those who are willing to pay the high ticket prices, which even the players have criticized, make a great atmosphere.

"People realized what the Davis Cup means to us," said Kohlmann.

"Hopefully there will be more."