Tennis news: Germany wins first Davis Cup match against France in 84 years

The pair outclassed Nicolas Mahut and Arthur Rinderknech 6-2 3-6 7-6 to register a 2-1 win in their opening Group C tie. Australia won against Belgium 3-0 in the group's other tie.

Four groups and two teams from each will enter the knockout rounds in Malaga from November 22-27. 

France defeated Germany in their previous eight encounters, and captain Michael Kohlmann was elated to emerge victorious after 84 years.

"Today was like a roller-coaster, but in the end, it's a big win. It is huge for us," he said. "I had that question so many times about how many years it is since Germany beat France. I know the numbers and the years were always getting more and more. But now we can close this chapter and look forward."

Alexander Zverev's absence did not hold them back

After world number five Alexander Zverev opted out of the tournament due to injury, Jan-Lennard Struff established a 1-0 lead for Germany in the opening singles by dispatching Benjamin Bonzi 6-4 2-6 7-5.

France's Adrian Mannarino equalised the score by defeating Oscar Otte 6-4 6-3. Krawietz and Puetz held their serve in the last set of the deciding doubles match, which ultimately resulted in a win.

Puetz revealed that the experiences he has shared with his teammates, including the Olympics, pacified the win. The fact that they are good friends off the court helps. 

In addition, he also admitted they are two of the best doubles players in the world, which adds to their confidence. German Davis Cup team captain Michael Kohlmann also recognised the pressure from seeing Alexander Zverev sidelined.

However, Kohlmann believed they were still a quality team. Despite calling his absence a big blow to their preparations, the captain revealed that they have "had this situation in the past and last year we had pretty success with a similar team. I still believe we are good enough and strong enough to go to the next round".

After Zverev's withdrawal, Germany named Yannick Hanfmann in their team. Germany is placed alongside Australia, France and Belgium in the group stages. 

Zverev was disappointed at how the situation turned out because he was excited to play in his hometown and knew the stadium well. He had terrific memories there, including his breakthrough semi-final run at Hamburg Open 2014.

However, it seems like his team is faring well without him. It is yet to be seen whether Germany will finish in the top two and advance to the Davis Cup Finals knockout phase.