Dominic Thiem - Even tennis professionals are not machines
In addition to physical problems, Dominic Thiem is currently also struggling with mental difficulties. In Corona times in particular, this can and should happen to a world-class athlete. A comment.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Apr 22, 2021, 05:17 pm
It is undisputed that the corona pandemic also has a negative impact on the mental health of many people. "The current situation is particularly stressful for adults under 35, women, singles and people without work (...)", a representative study by Danube University Krems showed last year.
But of course the COVID-19 crisis can also affect people with work. This is what happened to Dominic Thiem , who is currently suffering from a knee injury. But as the Austrian admitted in the standard interview , he is currently not only struggling with physical problems: "Corona has taken the beautiful things, starting with traveling, moving freely. The bad things remain. It is difficult to be out week after week to play through these circumstances. "
Not perfect and infallible
Of course, Thiem and his colleagues are aware of the privileged position they are in. Unlike many other people, tennis players can do their jobs, earn outstanding money and travel to the most beautiful places in the world. People quickly talk about whining at a high level, and world-class athletes like Thiem express their worries and feelings.
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But fears and negative thoughts are not exclusively a problem for socially disadvantaged groups. Even thoroughbred professionals like Thiem can suffer from a pandemic, because one thing is often forgotten with the apparent perfection and infallibility of the best athletes on the planet: They are not machines.
The more courageous is the step of the world number four to go public and let his fans participate in his soul life with open words. He was suffering from the bladder and the quarantine regulations, confirmed Thiem and thus expressed what many of his fellow human beings also experience in a modified form - be it through contact restrictions or distance regulations.
US Open title as a blessing and a curse
"To make matters worse" for Thiem is the fact that he achieved his great goal in September of last year by winning the US Open. The effort for the long-awaited Grand Slam triumph was not too great, but "I ran after the big goal for 15 years without looking to the left or to the right". Therefore, he now wants to broaden his horizons and deal with more things off the court.
With these words, the Lower Austrian took up a topic that had long been forgotten in tennis due to the exceptional talent Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. It is incredibly difficult to set new goals after the "dream come true" and not fall into a hole - but that is exactly what happened at Thiem according to his own statements during the preparation for the season.
"If you chase after your big goal your whole life, subordinate everything to it and then achieve it, it's not the same for a while as it was before. That is normal. The problem in tennis is that it is so fast-paced and week-long continues for a week, "emphasized the 27-year-old. Empty stadiums don't make things any easier, of course.
Thiem proves size and strength
One thing is certain for Thiem, however: he wants to be 100 percent again at the French Open. In any case, he can be trusted to do this in view of his enormous potential, but in addition to being playful, it also has to be mental again. Then it could well work out in Paris with another great triumph.
But one thing is already clear regardless: Thiem gives the sophisticated tennis sport a human component through his thoughtful statements. Some may interpret this as a weakness in a sport that strives for perfection with every stroke. In truth, however, it is size and strength.