Austria’s Davis Cup Tie With France to be Played in Aircraft Hanger

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 24th December 2010

Austria’s Davis Cup Tie With France to be Played in Aircraft Hanger |

There are the great tennis locations of the world and then there is an aircraft hanger at Vienna’s Schwechat International Airport that will be the venue for Austria’s Davis Cup tie against France next March.

The 10,000-square-meter hanger, currently being used by Austrian Airlines to carry out maintenance on Boeing 747 jumbo jets, will be transformed into a 6,000-capacity tennis stadium for the World Group first round tie to be played March 4 thru 6.

Schwechat International Airport is situated 18 kilometers (11 miles) south-east of central Vienna and must be used because the Austrian Tennis Federation were unable to find any other suitable and available venue in the for that week.

Austria’s leading player Jurgen Melzer doesn’t think airplane noise will create a disturbance. The world no.11 pointed out that New York’s Flushing Meadows is very close to La Guardia airport and planes fly overhead all the time during the U.S. Open.

“That doesn’t seem to bother the players,” said Melzer. “”It will be really cool to play there. A lot of fans can get in so we hope to put on a good show.”

After having eight straight home matches in the Davis Cup, Austria have played away in four out of five occasions in since September 2008. Gilbert Schaller’s team reclaimed World Group status with a 3-2 win over Israel in Tel Aviv last September’s play-offs.

The last time the Austrians played in Vienna was the February 2008 World Group first round against the United States when the Ferry Dulka Hellenstadion was the venue.

Topics: 747 Jumbo Jets, Airplane Noise, Austrian Airlines, Austrians, Boeing 747, Central Vienna, Davis Cup, Davis Cup Tie, Group Status, Jurgen Melzer, La Guardia Airport, Last September, Play Offs, S Davis, Schaller, Schwechat, Square Meter, Tennis Federation, Tennis Stadium, World Group