Dominic Thiem and Dennis Novak: Separated at birth
Dennis Novak time at "Kasi Live" on Thursday evening! Dominic Thiem's best buddy had a few anecdotes to hand - and good news if there was going to be something like summer tennis.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Apr 10, 2020, 08:11 am
It is no longer surprising that Dennis Novak and Dominic Thiem are best friends after Dennis Novak's conversation on "Kasi Live" (Instagram: tennisnetnews). Because the story of the two began even before they had actually noticed it themselves.
Thiem and Novak are only five days apart - Thiem was born on September 3, 1993, Novak on August 28, 1993. "Our mothers were in the same hospital at the same time," says Novak.
The Thiems were also decisive for Novak's career when it came to his tennis. At a youth tournament he played against Thiem, Papa Wolfgang then asked his mother if he wanted to come over for training with him and Günter Bresnik. There he noticed how much one had to train. "Then I became state champion for the first time, when I realized for the first time that this could be something."
# IMG2 #
Thiem and Novak: 2016 in Kitzbühel to the finals
Novak also has a good relationship with Thiem on the pitch, her legendary double race in Kitzbühel in 2016 after an early retirement in singles. The big question back then: does that make sense? Thiem and Bresnik had already wanted to go to Toronto, Novak to a Challenger tournament. But then it went on somehow, always after the gruesome first sentence until the endgame.
Saturday morning, before the individual final, then "full house", says Novak. This time the two put in a strong first set, but lost the second and thought: "Hopefully this is not going to be the other way round as before ..." Did it actually go: 3: 8 was behind, but then played incredible points , then 9: 8 in front, "it was as loud as at the Davis Cup!" At 9: 9 there was a frame stop from opponent Koolhof, at match ball a return between net and referee from partner Middelkoop. And it was over, the dream of victory.
Accordingly, Novak's great career goal, albeit with a small smile: “A double title with Dominic Thiem!” And when? "We have already spoken, thought about Gstaad and Kitzbühel." So it means: fingers crossed that this will happen ...