Thiem raved about Gstaad: “You get the feeling that the world is still okay here”

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The contrast is great when Dominic Thiem (29) travels to Gstaad for the ATP tournament. He just appeared in the tennis mecca of Wimbledon. On July 5, he lost a spectacular match against Stefanos Tsitsipas (ATP 5) in five sets. From the cosmopolitan city to the Bernese Oberland. But the change is good for Thiem.

The Austrian is full of praise for the region. “Somehow you get the feeling that the world is still okay here,” he says. “I see a lot every year, but this place is something very special, the nature here is sensational.” Unlike other athletes, he does not hold his media appointment at the tournament location, but higher up at the Arnensee (1,541 meters above sea level).

In March he made gloomy statements

Gstaad encourages Thiem. Because the US Open winner of 2020 has not had it easy lately. He is only number 91 in the world. Meanwhile, he dropped back to 352nd place. “I have so many ups and downs mentally. So it’s hard that it’s all still fun. It is complete torture.” He made this statement last March after his opening defeat in Indian Wells (US).

He’s better now. On the one hand, the change of coach in the spring helped. Thiem said goodbye to his old coach Nicolas Massu and is now cared for by the German-Iranian Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh (43). On the other hand, Wimbledon’s five-seater against Tsitsipas gave courage despite the defeat: “It was important to see that I was still there at my level.” And then of course there is Gstaad.

“Gstaad is a place to feel good”

“Last year I reached the first semi-final here in Gstaad in over a year, which was the start of a very good rest of the year,” says Thiem. Thiem had never really got going after his wrist injury in June 2021. And of course he likes to think back to the tournament victory in 2015 in Gstaad.

But there is more than sporting success, which is why Thiem likes to stay in Gstaad. Again and again he mentions nature. “The height suits me, the landscape here is beautiful. It’s a place to feel good,” enthuses Thiem, who is also a great animal lover and had the sponsorship of an anteater in Vienna and now a koala boy.

Thiem also praises Wawrinka

And then he is talking about Stan Wawrinka (38, ATP 88), with whom he often trains. De Romand also took courage at Wimbledon and will start in Gstaad. “Not only the fans like to watch him, the players too,” Thiem says about him.

He hopes to avoid Stan in the draw. At least until the semi-finals, his wish would come true. Thiem’s ​​first opponent in Gstaad on Monday or Tuesday is Frenchman Alexandre Muller (26, ATP 84). Wawrinka takes on Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena (30, ATP 57).

Source : Blick