VIENNA (AFP) - Austrian Davis Cup captain Thomas Muster has warned Britain not to underestimate them in this weekend's World Group play-off on the slowest clay courts the Austrians have found.
"We are definitely not afraid," said the former World Bo 1, who led Austria to the World Group semi-finals in 1990. "We know we have a good team and I think it's going to be a very interesting tie.
"I don't know what Jeremy (Bates - Great Britain's captain) is going to do, but whoever is put in the British team to play, we will challenge."
Bates has selected Henman, Greg Rusedski, Andrew Murray and Alex Bogdanovic.
Muster's team will consist of Jurgen Melzer, Stefan Koubek and Alexander Peya, three singles players who all reached the third round at the US Open last month, and Julian Knowle - a doubles specialist who reached the Wimbledon final this year with partner Nenad Zimonjic.
"We have a Wimbledon finalist in doubles, we have solid singles players and we are playing at home," said Muster.
"It's going to be sold out, and I think it's going to be a really good Davis Cup tie. I hope we can use the form of our players to have an advantage and succeed. We know that the British team will be strong, that Tim (Henman) is playing really well, and we will see what Jeremy comes up with."
"Tim Henman might have made the semi-finals at Roland Garros but we are not going to put that kind of clay on the court," said Koubek.
"It's going to be slower, a little deeper and a lot tougher to play on for British players.
"I am really looking forward to it because the British do not play their best tennis on clay."
Muster will also be able to give his experience of 63 Davis Cup rubbers to his team on the bench against Great Britain, although he admits that, in the end, it is up to the players, not the captain.
"It will be a different feeling, sitting outside watching the players - you can't really act," said Muster. "You have to sit there - you can't jump and run to get your stress out. You are just sitting there watching the players, giving them some strategy for the game. The bottom line is that there's a lot you can try to do, but in the end, really nothing!"
The last time Muster faced Britain in Davis Cup tennis, in Didsbury, in 1991, he went down in four sets to Mark Petchey in a match that Austria lost 3-1.
"I don't really want to remember that!" said Muster, "I don't have very good memories of that tie, but we have already beaten Britain once in the relegation rounds - when Austria first qualified for the World Group."
That was a 5-0 drubbing in favour of the Austrians in 1988.
The tie begins in Portschach on Friday with the winners promoted to the elite World Group.