Thiem manager Herwig Straka: "Bubble is mentally amazing"
Dominic Thiem skipped the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Miami and thus escaped further days in a "bubble". But according to his manager Herwig Straka , the Austrian is not the only player who is troubled by the current circumstances.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Mar 26, 2021, 08:37 am
For more than a year now, the corona virus has kept the entire world in suspense. Tennis was also affected by COVID-19 and took an almost five-month tournament break from March of last year. In the meantime, at least outwardly, it is almost normal operation again, but the players are mostly in specially created "bubbles" during an event.
Herwig Straka also knows that life in these areas is not always easy. The manager of Dominic Thiem accompanied his protégé to Australia, among other places, and sees a reason for the achievements of the world number four at the start of the season in the unusual circumstances.
Dispensable criticism
"The explanation is: at the end of the day he is human. People have their moods, are dependent on external circumstances. If it's like in Australia, you go into quarantine for weeks so that you then play in front of an audience, and then it will excluded again, then of course that has an effect ", the Styrian explained to the APA.
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"The players know very well that they are privileged, but the fact is that a bubble is mentally insane," continued Straka. Therefore, the tone on social media has become rougher lately: "The whole discussion and the increasing aggressiveness in the postings has to do with the fact that they are all dissatisfied with the bubble situation."
It is true that the players have the right to criticize in public, but that is not beneficial, according to Straka: "The fact is that in times of pandemics there is no more money. Even if the players always believe that the tournaments earn so much money . " At the ATP Masters 1000 tournament currently taking place in Miami, for example, the prize money fell by nine (first qualifying round) to 78 percent (tournament winner) compared to the last event two years ago.
Thiem's foot "minor problem"
Thiem did not even make the way to the USA. Instead, the Austrian is calmly preparing for the clay court season that he will usher in at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo. After that, the 27-year-old will play the 250 tournament in Belgrade instead of the 500 event in Barcelona .
Straka is not afraid that Thiem could also struggle with foot problems on the red ashes: "He will take a stand himself. The foot, I think, is less of a problem in the situation." At least good news in these difficult times, even for tennis players.