Dominic Thiem - Adelaide an option, Novak as a training partner
Dominic Thiem is still waiting for the details of his travel planning to Australia in 2021. After all, one thing is already certain: Austria's number one will train with buddy and teammate Dennis Novak during the first week of quarantine.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jan 06, 2021, 12:46 pm
Actually, the destination for Dominic Thiem was clear: Melbourne should be where the Austrian should initially contest his two-week quarantine, then the ATP Cup and finally the Australian Open. As the Kronen Zeitung reports, it could also be that Thiem is traveling to Adelaide to go into quarantine there. Wolfgang Thiem, coach father and this year Austrian team boss at the ATP Cup, confirmed this to tennisnet.com, but stated that an official announcement by the organizers was still pending.
What is already clear: Dominic Thiem will train with Dennis Novak in the first week of the quarantine. "You can then expand the so-called cohort," continues Wolfgang Thiem. Who will join in week two, of course, also depends on whether the Thiem team will actually be accommodated in Adelaide. And who still finds himself there. Rafael Nadal, for example, made an early appointment to practice with Jannik Sinner . Basically, the players are allowed to train for a total of five hours - on the pitch and / or in the fitness room. The rest of the time has to be spent solo in the hotel room.
Thiem and Novak in the ATP Cup
The first sporting test awaits at the ATP Cup. Last year, the individual at Thiem did not go completely smoothly, the success against Diego Schwartzman was offset by defeats against Borna Coric and Hubert Hurkacz. Thiem showed that this does not have to be a bad omen for the Australian Open with the subsequent run to the finals of the first major of the year. As in 2020, Dennis Novak will play as the second Austrian single player.
In doubles, Philipp Oswald and Tristan-Samuel Weissborn basically nominated themselves. Oliver Marach would like to contest one of the two ATP Tour 250 tournaments in Melbourne with a new partner at the same time as the ATP Cup, Jürgen Melzer has resigned, Alexander Peya has not yet gone that far after his injury.
The draw for the ATP Cup will take place on January 20th. Then the twelve teams are divided into four groups of three. The field is led by last year's winner Serbia around Novak Djokovic (with Dusan Lajovic, Filip Krajinovic and Filip Cacic) and the Spaniards with Rafael Nadal, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers.