Pessimists and skeptics only believe in Dominic Thiem’s immediate return to the tennis circuit when he today against 1.30 p.m. (ORF Sport+) will actually enter Center Court at the “Club de Tenis Puente Romano” in Marbella to play his opening singles at the Challenger against Argentina’s Pedro Cachin (WRL No. 228). The 28-year-old from Lichtenwörther, who slipped down to 50th in the world rankings after suffering a severe wrist injury on Mallorca on June 22, 2021, has twice canceled comeback attempts in the recent past.
In mid-December, the 2020 US Open champion wanted to compete at an exhibition in Abu Dhabi, but then gave up where because “I have the feeling that I’m not ready to compete at the highest level”. In addition, a cold forced him to travel home to Austria, Thiem had to reduce his training workload, and competing at the Australian Open in January was out of the question.
Instead, the 17-time ATP tournament winner wanted to start on February 1 on clay in South America, Cordoba, which is legendary in football circles, where Austria’s national team defeated Germany 3-2 at the 1978 World Cup, should have been the scene of the comeback. But it wasn’t like that.
One day before his planned double appearance, Thiem decided not to compete because he had suffered “a slight injury between his knuckles”. The strain on a ligament caused severe pain, which was 100 percent due to overload, assured the former number 3 in the world. Postscript: “The wrist is perfect, I’m sure I’ll be back soon.”
The time was not yet ripe for the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami (each on hard court), Thiem decided to take small steps and applied for a wildcard in Marbella. There is Florian Leitgeb, the son of the recently deceased former Thomas Muster manager Ronald Leitgeb, tournament director, he welcomed Austria’s star with open arms. Incidentally, Florian Leitgeb from the Champ Events agency will also be in charge of the Danube Austria Open, a men’s challenger tournament in Mauthausen at the beginning of May. The new tennis center Danubis will open there on Thursday. Without Thiem, who then still wants to be on the ball in Marbella.
Training match against Wawrinka
Today, the Estadio Manolo Santana – named after the legendary “magician on sand” who won four Grand Slam titles from 1961 to 1966 – will become a much-noticed “hotspot”.
Spain again – 280 days after the unpleasant incident in Mallorca, where Thiem (from the blow) tore the tendon sheath and the associated capsule in his right wrist. After a nine-month break, Austria’s number 1 lacks match practice, expectations are (still) subdued. “I know it’s a rocky road back to the top. But I’m one hundred percent ready to walk it,” says Thiem, who trains on Sunday with Swiss Stan Wawrinka (37) – he’s celebrating his comeback after a year-long injury break Has.
The colleagues from tennisnet.com reported a moment of shock, fortunately Thiem’s fall on the baseline had no consequences. “Thiem was visibly dissatisfied with his game, he kept arguing loudly with himself and his shots,” wrote Nikolaus Fink. The match ended with the score of 7:6 and 5:4 for Wawrinka.
If things go according to plan for Thiem in Marbella, he could travel on to the ATP 250 tournament in Marrakech next week (from April 4). Then Monte Carlo (from April 10) and Belgrade (from April 18) are on the to-do list. Hopefully it will stay that way.
Next change in Thiem’s team
People speak Spanish – not only in Marbella, the scene of Dominic Thiem’s comeback, but also around the world number 50. This is mainly due to the Iberian agency “Kosmos”, which signed Thiem in June 2021 and provided his manager Galo Blanco. Physiotherapist Carlos Costa is also Spanish, ie Benito Perez Barbadillo, the new PR man who used to “push” Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. It’s about “positioning Thiem more internationally”. His sandbox friend Lucas Leitner, who primarily took care of the appearance on social media, is no longer part of the team.
Source: Nachrichten
