Luxembourg great predicts tight tie against New Zealand

As Luxembourg’s Davis Cup captain for this weekend’s tie against New Zealand in Palmerston North, Gilles Muller is no stranger to the intensity of international tennis competition. 

He played in the Davis Cup for the first time as a 16-year-old in 2000 and was still flying the flag for his nation 19 years later.

Muller is by far Luxembourg’s greatest-ever player and retired in 2018 with a Davis Cup record of 56 wins and 17 losses and he’s now guiding the next generation of Luxembourgish talent. Ahead of the World Group II tie at Fly Palmy Arena, the 41-year-old is laser-focused on keeping his team prepared and grounded.

When asked about his time in New Zealand so far, Muller says it’s been good, but admits he’s not seen a lot.

“I haven’t seen much, to be honest,” Muller admits. “Hotel room, practice courts, and that’s about it. It’s a shame because we travelled this far and haven’t had the chance to explore this beautiful country. But that’s part of our job. We need to stay focused, and we’re here to win.”

Muller knows that this weekend’s tie against New Zealand promises to be a tightly contested affair. 

“I’d say it’s a 50/50 tie,” he said. “Little things can make the difference, so we need to be 100% ready and focused.”

A key figure for Luxembourg is their No 1 player, Chris Rodesch. The 21-year-old has been in impressive form, winning 27 of his last 30 matches. 

Muller acknowledges Rodesch’s confidence but is cautious about complacency. 

“It’s great to have a player who’s winning a lot of matches, but it can be dangerous too. When you’re on a winning streak, you can sometimes relax a bit too much and think, ‘Hey, I’m going to win anyway.’ 

“My job is to keep him on the right track. So far, he’s been doing a fantastic job, and I hope he continues that this weekend.”

Muller, who reached a career-high world ranking of 21, has fond memories of New Zealand, having played at the ASB Classing on three occasions early in his career.

“I’ve been to Auckland many times, and I loved it,” he said. 

“I would have liked to come back more often, but it was usually a travel stop before heading to Australia. Every time I visited, I really enjoyed it.”

Now in his fifth year as Luxembourg’s Davis Cup captain, Muller is used to the role. 

After a long and successful playing career, which saw him win two ATP titles and reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2017, defeating Rafael Nadal along the way, the move into captaincy was a natural progression. 

“I always wanted to help out and share my experience with the younger generation,” he said. 

“I get the feeling that the team enjoys working with me, and I’m enjoying working with them. Of course, we want to win matches, but we also want to enjoy our time together and have fun. That’s what it’s all about.”