He should fill Federer’s gap in Basel: at home Stricker recharges his batteries for the Swiss Indoors

Dominic Stricker, 21, the shooting star who makes fans dream with his lightness and playfulness, comes from Grosshöchetten. At the latest when qualifying for the round of 16 of the US Open at the end of August, he made a promise that also raised expectations with a view to the Swiss Indoors in Basel (October 21 to 29).

A rapid development

Visit to the house of hope. Domi, as his friends call him, flops onto a garden bench on the terrace of his parents’ house and takes a deep breath: “It’s all happening quite quickly,” he says, “but it’s definitely better fast than if I had to to wait. for years.”

The next morning we go to France for a tournament in the second division Challenger Tour. Mother Sabine, 49, who works 50 percent of the time as a commercial employee at a health insurer, keeps looking at the clock during the interview: “We are currently going through a very nice, intense time. Above all, media scrutiny has increased to the point where we need to protect Dominic from himself.”

Father Stephan, 52, brings water for everyone: “With or without?” As a patrol officer in the Bern cantonal police, he is used to all kinds of things. A press event like this doesn’t make him nervous. Friend Aline will come by later. But she doesn’t want to be photographed: “She’s not used to dealing with the media – and prefers to stay in the background,” says Dominic.

The Strickers function as a family team, as was the case with Roger Federer in his early days. The father takes care of management and media, the mother takes care of the accounting and administration, and sister Michèle, 23, maintains the website. Cat Minu Stricker is also listed there – as a ‘happiness coach’ (without email address). In total, “Team DS” consists of 14 people. Most of them work for free and out of passion for Dominic’s career.

In the meantime, almost all larger management agencies have already made representations in Grosshöchetten. But Stephan Stricker waves it away: “As long as we can do it ourselves, we will do it – that’s the only way we know that game bonuses and sponsorship income will actually end up in Dominic’s account.”

“It’s rare that I’m upset.”

How Dominic Stricker appears in public says a lot about his character. The young man exudes a relaxedness that is rare in the heated professional sports world. Mischief flashes from his eyes. When asked why he would want to be his own friend, he said in a recent newspaper interview: “Because I’m always relaxed. There is always a saying on my lips. And it’s rare that I’m angry.” With this carefree attitude, he also celebrated his biggest victory to date: at the US Open against Greek top ten player Stefanos Tsitsipas. During the final break, when other players gathered among their buried in towels or apathetically arranging their water bottles, Stricker happily sang along to the stadium music: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston. Then he went onto the field and literally danced away the world number 7. “I love oldies and listen to that kind of music a lot,” he says, noting that it probably didn’t even exist in his parents’ minds when the song was released in 1987.

As a singer, Stricker is at least lyrically confident. As a tennis player he has the ability to progress far. But now he’s moving to a level where the air is getting thinner – and every next step forward amounts to a feat of strength. His feeling for the ball, which also makes him a smooth player on the golf course (handicap 6.7), is an important basis. But now factors such as physique, mental state or nutrition also decide. “I’ve removed burgers from my menu for the time being,” he says, laughing. And he wants to work on his fitness even more consistently. The Strickers have set up a weight room in the basement of their single-family home. There is also a device where rackets are strung. Father Stephan shares this task with Markus Leuenberger, another team member, and takes care of this matter: “I had to learn that first. There are six to seven rackets per week.”

Already a “prize money millionaire”

As world number 90, Dominic Stricker has achieved an economic base on which he can build. The ATP’s professional tour website already lists him as a prize money millionaire. But this is far from enough to support his 14-person team. There is a common perception that every tennis professional is in a constant flow of money. But father Stephan puts it into perspective: “A top 100 player can finance himself, in the top 50 you can also pay the trainer and physio. But only in the top twenty does so much money come in that you can put something aside.” As an example of the financial reality, he cites the US Open, where Dominic earned $280,000 in prize money – more than ever before: ‘You never see $90,000 of that because of withholding tax. Then there are the costs of trainers, physiotherapists and statisticians – plus the costs of flights, hotels and food. In the end we will have between $30,000 and $40,000 left, but that doesn’t include our wages.”

The remaining money will be invested directly in Dominic’s career. That is why “Project Dominic” is mainly supported by sponsors and partners. The father: “We have many small donors who have supported Dominic for years. We are extremely grateful for that.” On the homepage www.dominicstricker.ch the team runs its own store with products from the DS label, manufactured by the Swiss textile company Isa.

Expectations as appreciation

But it is not the financial attraction that drives Dominic Stricker anyway – it is the dream of a place on the top floor of tennis, which has become concrete for the first time since the success at the French Junior Open three years ago – and which now seems within reach. He confidently accepts that the success reports increase the pressure: “It is also a kind of appreciation. Expectations only rise when you achieve something.”

He does not yet know the dark side of fame: ‘I am occasionally recognized in the city – and children have even come by and asked for an autograph. But that makes me happy.” He also wants to experience this joy next week in Basel, where, as a ‘poster boy’, he must, as it were, fill the gaps left by a certain Roger Federer. When asked about this, Dominic Stricker peers into the sun and says with a smile: “I’m going to Basel and I want to have fun. I take it one match at a time.” It’s a phrase you’ve heard from many athletes. But you can take it from Dominic Stricker – this young man from Gross Höchstetten who is well on his way to breaking the Bernese half-mould.