Amid the uncertainty in the world of sport caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, Dominic Thiem believes there are positives to be drawn from it as well.
All professional tournaments have been suspended since March due to the pandemic and there is yet to be a date as to when or if the 2020 season will start again. Both the French Open and ATP are optimistic about the chances of men’s tennis starting before the year ends. Although Rafael Nadal isn’t so convinced. The situation leaves uncertainty and anxiety for many players who rely on the Tour for their income, but for Thiem he believes there is a silver lining for him.
“I see this break more as a relaxation. Recuperation and switching off are as important as the training itself,” he told The Times of India. “And of course, coming home is extremely important to me. This is where I recover the fastest, especially mentally.”
The 26-year-old started 2020 by becoming one of only four male players to have made more than $1 million in prize money. His stand out achievement was at the Australian Open where he reached the final before losing to Novak Djokovic. Becoming the first Austrian player in history to do so. Against Djokovic, he led by two sets before losing in five.
After being just six games away from his maiden grand slam, Thiem’s main focus during the lockdown has been on one particular aspect of his game – his mentality. Training for longer in a bid to boost his chances at future grand slams. Thiem is also a two-time French Open finalist.
“I think mental fitness is extremely important, especially in Grand Slams and the long best-of-five set matches,” he explains. “Thus, I am working on my mental fitness during my regular work out. If I can achieve my performance in training for up to four hours, it will also be easier to use my strengths during the match.’
“ The physical aspect is also very important because if I know that I’m going into a match in top form and I can run for four or five hours without any problems, then I’m also mentally at a top level!” He added.
Whenever the Tour does get going again, Thiem is unfazed about the potential challenges that he may face associated with being away from the sport for so long. He is a player renowned for his hectic schedule. Last year he played 68 matches across 23 different events (including Davis Cup) and was one of only two players to win five ATP titles. The other being Djokovic.
“Of course it is difficult, it will have a massive impact on my remaining season, but that’s the same for everyone on the tour. It means everyone will have to adjust. We’ll have to wait and see when it starts again.” Thiem commented on resuming his campaign.
“Then I’ll work out with my team how we can optimally prepare for it and plan the rest of the season.”
For the time being Thiem will be keeping himself busy with the upcoming Generali Pro Series. A round-robin tournament set up in Austria that enables players to have match play during the lockdown. He will be participating alongside compatriots Dennis Novak, Sebastian Ofner and Jurgen Melzer.
Thiem started 2020 by winning nine out of 13 matches played on the ATP Tour before it was suspended.
