Carlo Tränhardt: "Watching tennis with Roger Federer is a world experience"
Carlo Tränhardt was one of the world's best high jumpers in the 1980s, his record is 2.42 meters. But his great love is tennis. A very relaxed conversation on the sidelines of the ATP Tour 250 tournament in Munich.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Apr 29, 2022, 07:27 am
tennisnet: Mr. Tranhardt. What was your impression of Philipp Kohlschreiber at what was perhaps his last appearance in Munich?
Carlo Tränhardt : Logically, at the age of 39 you ride into the sunset. I saw the match against Daniel Altmaier and I think Kohli played really well. He has to win the first set, he was better there. Since he lacked the ultimate consequence. And a bit of bad luck with net rollers has also been added. But that's part of it. I loved watching him play. Philipp will make the right decision when it's time to stop.
tennisnet : Philipp Kohlschreiber accompanied you personally, but also in your function as part of the supervisory team of the German Davis Cup team. Germany were drawn against France, Belgium and Canada on Tuesday. How do you see this constellation - also assuming that Alexander Zverev will play for Germany in Hamburg?
Tränhardt : With Sascha you can win the thing. It's that simple. Last year in Innsbruck we reached the semi-finals without Sascha, but with a fantastic Struffi, a great doubles match and a great team performance. The sense of togetherness with us is really awesome. If we can carry that into September and then into the final, anything is possible. And Sascha is always good for two points. He was incredible in Rio, for example. After a difficult journey from Acapulco. He immediately integrated into the team, everyone was happy that he was there with Sascha.
Tränhardt on the Davis Cup team: "It's a great team"
tennisnet : What is your job during the Davis Cup week?
Tränhardt : I only see the Davis Cup people for a few days. Then we discuss their physical and mental condition, what they did last week, etc. You don't have much time. It's primarily about getting the muscles to the best possible status for the matches. That everyone feels fresh, is in the mood, and is hungry for victory. And we try to achieve this homogeneity of individuals in a team. And there I am a small piece of the mosaic.
tennisnet : The impression from the outside is that Alexander Zverev feels very comfortable in this team.
Tranhardt : Yes. It's also a great team, with great people. We all treat each other with respect and have a lot of fun. The trick is to wear it throughout the day and into the weekend. But the players do that very well on their own.
tennisnet : You also like to look beyond national borders. So: When you jumped the eight feet, that is, 2.40 meters, it must have been like reaching a goal in life. Dominic Thiem has achieved his life goal with the US Open. And fell into a mental hole soon after. Can you understand that?
Tränhardt : I appreciate Dominic immensely, I know him quite well. For me it was like this: I just had the feeling that I could jump even higher. And didn't want to stop without having reached my potential. I think Dominic could have won more Grand Slam tournaments, like the Australian Open 2020. But he needs a lot of strength for his game. I hope he recovers completely and wish him all the best.
"I think Alcaraz is cool"
tennisnet : In the last few weeks, Carlos Alcaraz has really stirred up the ATP tour. What is your impression of him?
Tränhardt : I think Alcaraz is great. The match against Tsitsipas in Barcelona is unbelievable. Tsitsipas plays a forehand longline at 300 km/h - and Alcaraz plays back a backhand longline at 400, which was no longer possible. And he seems like a nice guy too, although I don't know him personally. When Tsitsipas wanted to shoot him, he just grabbed his nose, which in Spain means: "That wasn't so nice of you."
tennisnet : You often hear that the German school system prevents talents like Alcaraz or Holger Rune from developing so splendidly. Would you agree with that? What are the parallels to your sport, athletics?
Tränhardt : In athletics, you can reconcile it. You don't need a partner to play with. In tennis, the organization is much more complex. And with our school system, scopes like in other countries cannot be implemented.
"I wish there was more humility among footballers"
tennisnet : And the risk is high. After all, comparatively few tennis players in the world can really make a living from their job.
Tränhardt : A few days ago I took part in a TV discussion on Bayerischer Rundfunk. So I tried to get a connection to football. I think tennis players train much more vigorously and in more detail. That's not the case in football. Soccer is more trivial. It's the mass of people that brings this immense income to football, where anyone who can walk reasonably straight earns three or four million in the Bundesliga. We don't have to discuss the fact that there is no justice in the distribution of funds. But I would sometimes wish for a little more humility among the footballers.
tennisnet : Finally, give us a player for whom you are willing to pay the most admission. Whether young or old.
Tränhardt : I play a one-handed backhand myself. I find Musetti's very cool. But for whom I would go to the stadium again: for Roger Federer. I was lucky enough to be able to see him in training sometimes, spent a few days with Peter Gojowczyk in Zurich. Just great. Watching tennis on TV with Roger Federer is a world experience. How he analyzes the blows, how he makes jokes: a humorist par excellence.
tennisnet : Federer watches tennis matches on TV?
Tränhardt : He looks at every piece of shit. He sees more tennis than we do.
tennisnet : How well are you doing on the tennis court?
Tränhardt : I was allowed to play a ProAm doubles here with Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic. I served Cilic an ace to the outside. That was an incredible feeling.