Should Germany face a nail-biting winner-takes-all doubles clash at the Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Finals then surely they have the perfect man as captain to guide the nation’s starlets through any nervy moments.

Step forward Philipp Petzschner, whose back catalogue of achievements – Olympian, two-time Grand Slam doubles champion and the holder of a career-best doubles ranking of No. 9 in the world – is impressive to say the very least.

Now 37, Petzschner made a swift transition to coaching after calling time on his playing career following his final competitive match in 2018. He now finds himself firmly embroidered in junior development at the German Tennis Federation.

While times change and coaching is now very much the focus, Petzschner’s Grand Slam successes alongside Austria’s Jurgen Melzer at Wimbledon in 2010 and at the US Open a year later remain treasured memories.

At SW19, he and Melzer navigated their way to the final where they dispatched Sweden’s Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau of Romania, while at Flushing Meadows Polish duo Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski were their victims.

As he perches on a wall at Club Mega Saray moments before joining the remainder of the German team for dinner, Petzschner discusses a range of topics: England’s Euro 2020 victory over Germany, ice hockey and how he drives his wife “nuts” by being sports mad.

However, despite his obvious eloquence, more than a decade on from his Grand Slam triumphs, he still struggles to put into words exactly how the moment of victory, both at Wimbledon and in New York, felt.

“I honestly can’t articulate it, you kind of have to feel it for yourself,” he told itftennis.com.

“Especially the first when we won Wimbledon, you can see it on the video and photographs, we just fell down and hugged. It was one of the greatest moments of my life.

“You have been working for something all of your life and, out of nowhere, it is there. It is something incredible and something tough to explain because you do have to feel it. But I can assure you, it was a great moment.

“In fact, the whole thing was just brilliant. I just loved being on tour, loved playing tennis and loved travelling. I also met a lot of very nice people around the world and that is one of the reasons why I came into coaching straight away.

“There are a lot of lovely people around the world and now meeting them on the other side of the game is fantastic also.”

Although only two ties have so far been determined by doubles, Junior Davis Cup and Junior Billie Jean King Cup are the essence of team competition and as the Finals unfold this week a considerable number of clashes are likely to go the distance.

With both of his Grand Slam titles and six of his eight ATP Tour crowns coming alongside the same partner in Melzer, Petzschner would appear to have a sound knowledge of what fundamental ingredients are required to make the perfect doubles pairing.

“You have to get along well, that is the main thing,” said Petzschner, who made his Davis Cup debut for Germany in 2007. “The problem is if you don’t then when your partner makes some easy mistakes you are like, ‘oh, he screwed up again’ and that’s not a good feeling.

“But if you get along then it is easier to forgive and forget. Also, you’re travelling so long together it is basically a relationship. If you get along, it makes it so much easier to be on the tennis court and share good and bad moments.

“If you’re able to look each other in the eye afterwards and have a beer, it makes it way easier.”

Yannik Kelm and Georg Eduard Israelan assumed doubles duty for Germany during their opening showdown with Korea, Republic yesterday and their victory ensured their nation began with a fine 3-0 win following earlier singles success for Kelm and David Fix.

It was a resounding way in which to begin their quest for a fourth Junior Davis Cup title and first since 2003 when Germany conquered all before them to be crowned champions on home soil in Essen. Petzschner believes his modern-day vintage have significant potential.

“They are crazy, let me put it like this,” he added. “They are different characters, that’s for sure. We have one who is really solid and is always prepared and always working hard.

“Then we have the crazy one who can do anything and everything, but some days nothing at all, and then one who is solid throughout. It is a good mix. It’s certainly never boring with them.

“It’s just really nice to be here with them. The event speaks for itself and when we qualified, we were really happy because it was a goal of ours to come here. Since we are here, we will try our best as there is a world championship on the line, so we’re going for it.”

As for Petzschner, he is a year-and-a-half into his coaching journey and his new career path is one he values and enjoys enormously, while it is something he can see himself doing long term.

His own philosophy exists and is evolving, but as he hones his coaching principles, he is happy to cherry-pick thoughts, ideas and mantras from others, some of whom have been significant influences on his career.

“I enjoy the coaching and I like being around the kids,” he said. “I have three of them at home, so I know what it means to be a parent and I try to tell them from a parental side and also the tennis coach side.

“Sometimes kids are so focussed on being a professional and sometimes I’m like, ‘take it easy, you’re so young’. Players can always improve and if you’re improving, you are on the right track. It’s a long road and sometimes you get there fast, sometimes slow.

“I really enjoy telling them some of my past or giving some of my past to them, so they understand a little better where I am coming from.

“We also have a great team at the German Tennis Federation. A lot of former players are now into coaching, and I have former coaches who I am always talking with.

“For instance, in Michael Kolmann, Germany’s Davis Cup captain, I have somebody who I have played doubles with, so If I have a question I can call him. He is a little bit more experienced than me. I have my own philosophy and I work with it, but I also listen to others.

“I still call Jurgen [Melzer] also. He is the head of men’s tennis in Austria and we’re in contact, sharing thoughts and ideas. As I say, I have my philosophy, but I am trying to learn from others and, in my work with the boys now, take things from those who have impacted me.”