“Thinking about 14th place still gives me goosebumps”

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New input, new try: Dominic Stricker has been trained by Dieter “Didi” Kindlmann (40) since March, and also gets one or two pieces of advice from ex-Federer coach Peter Lundgren (58), who acts as a mentor.

One of the big goals of the new team: Stricker should finally make it to the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament this year. If possible already this week in Paris – the qualifying tournament starts on Monday (10.00 against Jelle Sels (Ho/ATP 163).

An emotional return

The good memories of Roland Garros still weigh heavily on Stricker, he says. That doesn’t detract from qualifying in the second round of last year either. In Stricker’s head are still those beautiful moments when he won the title in both the junior singles and doubles in Paris in the autumn of 2020.

“When I think back to 14th place, where I was able to win, I still get goosebumps. It will definitely be another emotional moment when I get back there,” says the Bern native, adding that he would like to come full circle this week would make. Celebrating the Grand Slam premiere in the same place after the junior triumph would be “a dream story”.

Pain-free, but also fit enough?

The omens? They are promising thanks to his victory in the Challenger tournament in Prague in early May, right after his comeback from injury. But they are not 100 percent good either, as the current number 115 in the world admits.

After weeks of rest due to an inflammation in his foot and only doing exercises in the weight room, his fitness is not yet where he and his team would like it to be.

But for Stricker it can be seen as a success that he can train and play pain-free: “I felt very good in the first week in Prague. And of course the title also gives me confidence to qualify for the French Open. »

After the initial frustration, he sees the fact that he was kicked out in the first game immediately after his fifth tournament win at Challenger level – again in Prague – as a good warning that not everything is a guaranteed success. He says: “I know a lot can happen in qualifying. But it’s definitely a good feeling to return to a facility where you’ve been successful before.”

Source : Blick