Interview with Sebastian Ofner: "I want to bite through this season"
After narrowly missing out on qualifying for the Australian Open, Sebastian Ofner has made the long journey from Melbourne to compete in this week's Tenerife Challenger in the Canary Islands. However, the hardships of the journey paid off for the 26-year-old Austrian.
by Florian Heer from Tenerife
last edit: Jan 22, 2023, 03:52 pm
Ofner was able to reach his eighth final on the ATP Challenger Tour on the hard courts of the Abama Tennis Academy in Guía de Isora, which are set in a fantastic landscape. Number 193 in the world rankings was only defeated by a strong Alexander Shevchenko in two sets in the final. We accompanied Ofner throughout the week in Tenerife.
Tennisnet: First of all, a happy new year! The season has already started. How were the first few weeks on the tour?
Sebastian Ofner: I played two good matches in Canberra. In qualifying for the Australian Open, I failed in the third round. Of course that's bitter. But overall it was a good start. I haven't had one that good in a long time. I am pain free, can play fully. Let's see what else is possible this year.
What made you decide to make the long journey from Melbourne to Tenerife?
I want to bite the bullet this season - especially if my body holds up! I asked for a Tuesday start, but it wasn't without a total of 25 hours on the road.
When did you arrive?
I arrived in Tenerife last Sunday afternoon. I got over the jet lag very well. On the first evening you try to stay up as long as possible to quickly get back into the rhythm. I have succeeded in doing this.
You didn't compete in the inaugural edition of the Tenerife Challenger two years ago. But do you know the island or the Canary Islands?
I was in Adeje once for pre-season. I haven't been to this facility yet, but everything is great. A top challenger.
Do you play golf? There are a few options here...
no I don't play golf but the courses look very good.
Let's talk briefly about the past season. You returned to the tour in the spring after a long injury break and soon afterwards were able to win a Challenger title in Prague. What is the conclusion?
I still had to fight every match on painkillers. Under the circumstances, things went quite well. The goal was to keep the top 200 in order to start at the Australian Open. I did it. In October I had to undergo another minor surgery and in November I was finally free of pain during training for the first time. That was a really long time. I'm all the happier that I can now play pain-free and focus on tennis again. That was a liberating feeling.
Were there moments when you thought that professional tennis might not go on?
In the meantime I had come to terms with the fact that I could no longer play without pain, as there were also problems with the Achilles tendon and I didn't know how long that would last. But now it looks good and I'm super happy.
How did the preparation go in winter?
I started exercising at my parents' home. Afterwards I went to Traiskirchen for a two-week training session and also played quite a lot with Dominic Thiem. After that we did two weeks of preparation under excellent conditions in Dubai.
How do you assess the situation at Dominic?
The preparation went very well. I think he's already improved his game a lot. He will probably need a few more matches to bring it to the pitch. But I am assuming that the season will go very well for him again and that he will find his old strength again.
What are your objectives?
My goal is clearly to be in the top 100 and to play all Grand Slam tournaments. The last year was a first step in the right direction. Provided I stay injury-free, I'm confident that I'll be in double digits in the world rankings by the end of this season. Of course I hope that my body will last a season without having any major problems. I now also have a fitness trainer who I met through my touring coach Stefan Rettl. He makes plans for me when I'm out at the tournaments and also makes sure to take necessary breaks from the tour. Otherwise, I continue to work with Wolfgang Thiem and am very satisfied.
You traveled to Tenerife alone. What do you do off the pitch during a tournament week?
Here, of course, you can go to the sea from the hotel. Otherwise you can spend a lot of time on the plant. The food is very good. In the evening I like to watch a film, but I'm also happy to be able to just relax.
Last season you also expressed critical tones and said that the Challenger Tour would be neglected by the ATP. This year there was an upgrade in terms of world ranking points and prize money. How satisfied are you with this step?
I see the development positively. There are far more tournaments where the winner can win 100 or 125 points. This can make it easier to jump up the world rankings. It is also a step in the right direction in terms of prize money and makes tournament planning easier. There are also more opportunities to take your own trainer with you.
There are also more tournaments that are held at the same location over several weeks.
I also think that's very good. It reduces travel stress. If the conditions on site are right, you can stay on site and train there as well. That also simplifies things.
How is your experience here this week?
At challenger level, too, you have to perform every day, ideally over the entire season. There were a lot of close matches with hard and sometimes long rallies, but I'm quite happy with my performance.
What is your timetable for the next few weeks?
After Tenerife I will play in Quimper and Koblenz. Afterwards it goes to Bahrain and two weeks to India.
Thank you for the interview and have a successful season!