Bastian Trinker on the end of his career: "The head didn't work anymore"
The Carinthian tennis professional Bastian Trinker has ended his career - he still looks back gratefully on the time on the tour. He now trains the next generation of tennis players in Germany.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Apr 28, 2021, 03:08 pm
Drinker attracted attention in 2015 with a victory over Mikhail Youzhny in Umag and was on his way to the top 200 when the injury plague started. "I had to struggle with injuries and setbacks for years, but always came back," said Trinker to the Kleine Zeitung. Last year it went well again in terms of play, but then my knee went on strike. "The bitterest thing was that I couldn't decide when to stop, but my body had an influence on it." He pulled out all the stops, "but my head couldn't grab it anymore. It was very depressing," said the now 30-year-old.
He cites the tournament in Umag as the highlights of his career, of course, but also the qualification for the Australian Open - even if he lost there after two match points. "It was an eventful time that shaped me enormously and taught me a lot." Drinker also says: "Becoming a professional tennis player is tough bread."
Drinker now trainer in Leipzig: "Offer was ideal"
Drinker remains connected to tennis. He is now a state-certified trainer and now works in Leipzig. During his career, he wanted to be a coach, "that's why the offer was ideal," he says. The aim of the newly established Espenhain Tennis Academy is to become a professional center of excellence for Central and Eastern Germany.
At the end of 2015, Trinker achieved his best place in the ATP ranking with place 241. He won a total of nine individual titles at the future level.