Hamburg Open: Dominic Thiem opens at Rothenbaum in 2019 and 2020!
The first player commitment for the Hamburg Open 2019 is clear: Dominic Thiem from Austria, fifth in the world rankings, will serve at the 113th edition of the classic clay court (July 20 to 28, 2019) at Rothenbaum.
by Press release
last edit: Apr 12, 2019, 02:45 pm
Thiem, who won his first Masters title in Indian Wells in mid-March with a final win against Roger Federer, also made his promise for 2020. “It is an exclamation point for the tournament that a world-class player like Dominic Thiem has two Years, ”said the new tournament director Sandra Reichel. She also thinks humanly big things about the 25-year-old from Lower Austria: “Nothing better can happen to tennis than having someone like 'Domi' Thiem. He's not just one of the most complete players in the world. With his whole character - with his discipline and his down-to-earthness - he is also a role model for the youth. "
The French Open finalist of last year is looking forward to his next appearance at Germany's most traditional tennis tournament, which was held for the first time in 1892. “Hamburg is an absolute classic. Over 125 years of history - that says everything anyway. There have been legendary five-set battles, and all tennis legends have played there: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg or Gustavo Kuerten. And the city of Hamburg is beautiful anyway. Life on the Alster is extremely pulsating and an attraction. "And the football fan adds:" Football in Hamburg is of course very important. The derby between HSV and St. Pauli is pure cult. "
Thiem in Hamburg: "Home advantage promised"
Dominic Thiem has a good relationship with the new organizers of the Hamburg Open - the Austrian Reichel family. "I have known Sandra Reichel for many years, also from Linz." In October 2018 he cheered on his French girlfriend Kristina Mladenovic at the women's tournament in Linz, where Reichel is also tournament director.
"Sandra Reichel took great care of me as the tournament director, she also promised me a home advantage," says Thiem with a sly smile. Austria's most popular summer athlete is also looking forward to meeting Tyrolean Barbara Schett, who will be conducting the center court interviews in Hamburg in the future: "With 'Babsi' on the center court, it is always a highlight, I already know it from the US Open and from other tournaments where she works as a Eurosport moderator. Then there is Austrian talk in northern Germany. That's surely going to be funny!"
Memories of Horst Skoff and Jürgen Melzer
The man with the nickname "Dominator" won eight of his twelve ATP titles on "ashes". The 1.85-meter right-hander does not like to hear the term “clay court specialist”, especially since he was the first Austrian to win a lawn tournament (2016 in Stuttgart) and recently celebrated his most important career title in Indian Wells on hard court. In Hamburg it is his third participation for Thiem after 2014 (round of 16) and 2018 (quarter-final); In 2016 he had to cancel due to illness. For 2019, Thiem has big plans for the event of the ATP 500 series, endowed with 1.718 million euros: "I hope that I can do better than last year." Jürgen Melzer was already in the final in 2010, Horst Skoff 30 years ago ... And it would be a dream if I could win the title at some point. "
Because of the tournaments in Hamburg and Kitzbühel in 2020, Thiem will even miss the summer games in Tokyo. In 2024 in Paris again, when the medals are awarded on sand at the Stade Roland Garros, he wants to take part in the Olympics.
Tickets can be booked at: www.hamburg-open.com