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Thiem has separated from his coach Nicolas Massu. The Lower Austrian announced on Instagram and Facebook on Saturday that the two had decided “that we will go different ways starting next week”. The Chilean Massu, Olympic tennis champion in Athens in 2004, had been touring coach Thiem since the first half of 2019. At that time, the cooperation between Thiem and his long-time coach Günter Bresnik came to an end.
“What an incredible journey,” wrote the 29-year-old. “It all started in early 2019 – you came out with your incredible energy and extreme love for the sport. That’s how we won the US Open and Indian Wells. But we also have the finals of the Australian Open, the French Open and twice at the ATP reached finals.”
That shows “that we are an incredible team. But unfortunately everything has an end, and this end has now come,” Thiem continued, thanked Massu for the time together and wished the 43-year-old “only the best” for the future. . He emphasized: “Our friendship will last forever.”
“Wish from Both Sides”
Thiem’s brother and manager Moritz commented on the reasons for the end of the partnership. “With Nico, it was time to change something,” he said, explaining that the desire came from both sides. “A new input is certainly good and will hopefully help him. Especially in this phase,” emphasized Moritz Thiem. Until the tournament in Estoril last week, where Thiem reached the quarterfinals, the 2020 US Open winner was eliminated four times en suite in the first round.
This week the German-Iranian Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh is at his side. “You try it now, how it works,” said Moritz Thiem. The Austrian Matthias Kapl is there as a physio. Thanks to a wildcard, Thiem will initially play Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the first round in Monte Carlo. Who will take over the coaching agendas in his team in the medium and long term is open. In principle, Thiem’s father Wolfgang also works as a tennis coach, but is very busy with other athletes and projects. Ex-professional Thomas Strengberger has accompanied Thiem several times, his status is unclear.
Thiem had already separated from his management group Kosmos in February, and since then his younger brother has been a full-time manager. The cooperation with the investment group based in Spain had lasted less than two years and had been shaped by the Austrian’s long injury break.
Source: Nachrichten
