Double ace Tim Pütz: "Very few 20-year-olds become a Jannik Sinner"
Tim Pütz and Andreas Mies will play doubles for Germany against Switzerland at the Davis Cup in Trier today. In an interview with tennisnet, the pair skating specialist also talks about his time at college.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Feb 04, 2023, 08:58 am
tennisnet : Mr. Pütz. You played tennis at Aburn College before turning professional. Many years later - what did this time bring you?
Tim Pütz : A holistic development, if you want to call it that. When you go to college, you usually leave home for the first time, live alone for the first time, have to make your own living, juggle sports and university. You don't have these "problems" before. Everything is predetermined by school and Abitur. In addition, there are the training opportunities that exist in the USA. You can't compare them to the European ones. You also train in a team, which is an additional incentive for everyone involved.
tennisnet : With what effect?
Pütz : If, like me at the time, you are perhaps not quite as physically developed, you make a huge leap. You see that in a lot of players. it is certainly not the right path for everyone. You have to deal with being away from home. That is not a matter of course. I also have friends who went over there and didn't like it. Simply because of the long distance to the USA, not everyone gets along in a team structure. But you are well prepared for the tough conditions in professional tennis.
tennisnet : What is more important than ever in times like these...
Pütz : Nowadays hardly anyone at 18 or 19 has the level to march straight through school after school. These are outliers like Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner. Otherwise, the professional tour is a very difficult environment. If you finish school and play very well, then probably somewhere between 500 and 1,000 in the world rankings. And then start playing futures, not making any money, keep working hard - it's really difficult. And that's what college does for you. You have so many matches, such a good physical development, also such good support.
Promotion of college players by the ATP
tennisnet : ATP boss Andrea Gaudenzi wants to promote college players by providing them with wildcards for Challenger tournaments. How do you like this idea?
Pütz : I think it's absolutely top class. because it is also an incentive to go to college. Because it's not just a good thing for tennis. But you also get the opportunity to get a university degree. And you just don't have that as a 20-year-old who stays at home and starts playing futures. You can either do one or the other. And the reality is that very few 20-year-olds become a Jannik Sinner. All the better that you also get a plan B.
tennisnet : How was it for you?
Pütz : I wasn't good enough back then. I didn't go to college because I wanted to go pro afterward. For me it was more because I played way better in college than I ever thought possible. Then when I came home in the summer, I suddenly won against people who had been 400 in the world. That showed me: You're quite good at tennis.
First Krawietz, then Pütz on maternity leave
tennisnet : Now you are playing alongside Andreas Mies in the Davis Cup against Switzerland. They played two doubles together in Auburn in those years, but not a single match on the ATP tour or in the Davis Cup. How does the interaction work?
Pütz : It varies from couple to couple. I don't think there should be an adjustment phase for us, simply because we know each other so well. We've been touring together for many years, although we haven't played together yet. Our families know each other well, there is a great deal of intimacy there.
tennisnet : Kevin Krawietz, the man with whom you want to contest the 2023 season, has finally become a father. When will there be the first joint missions?
Pütz : Kevin flies to Montpellier on Saturday, I'll follow on Sunday. After that Rotterdam, then we'll take a week off and then Dubai.
tennisnet : Indian Wells and Miami?
Pütz : Then I'll take a baby break. Kevin and I knew that about each other when we started dating. This is not quite ideal for the team's annual planning. But some things are even more important than tennis.