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The $ 5.7 million ATP finals in London start off with a bang, not just from the Austrian point of view, on Sunday (not before 3pm): In the first singles, the previous year’s final will be repeated in the group “London 2020”. Dominic Thiem, Austria’s “Sportsman of the Year”, and Greek defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Thiem had lost the final almost a year ago with 7: 6.2: 6.6: 7, it was the last duel with the Greek so far. The 27-year-old US Open winner leads 22-year-old Tsitsipas toe-to-toe 4: 3. The second group match on Opening Sunday will be played by 20-time major winner Rafael Nadal and Masters rookie Andrej Rublew in the evening session. (not before 9 pm)
Thiem commented on his group in a video press conference on Friday afternoon. “I think there is no good or bad draw in the tournament. You know what is coming, only the top ten players will come. I think this year is a bit more difficult, usually because the eight players are good They are in shape and, on Everything, everyone is fit, ”explained the world number 3. He rates both groups very strongly.
“In the tournament there is no long torch, it starts from the first point,” Thiem said before his fifth appearance at the “Masters”. In addition, he enters the first game on Sunday with an important experience. “The first match is extremely important. If you have a good start to the tournament, ideally with a win of course, then it has very good effects for the next group games. If you lose, you are already under pressure,” USA said. Open champion.
ATP Finals in London celebrate 50th anniversary
The fact that the tournament, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary by the way, opens with the final of the previous year is “a pleasure” for Thiem. But almost all matches depend on the condition of the day.
He has fond memories of this last duel with Tsitsipas, a final in front of 17,000 fans and a great atmosphere at the O2-Arena. This year, this tournament has also been downgraded to a “ghost tournament” with no fans due to the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s kind of sad,” Thiem said. In addition to the Grand Slams and their local tournaments in Vienna and Kitzbühel, London offered the “best atmosphere”. “That’s why it’s going to be a bit difficult.”
However, he and his colleagues are now used to this strange situation at first. “This week, who knows what will happen next year. I hope that more and more spectators will go to the stadiums.”
Dominic Thiem aims to participate in the Olympics
And for next year, if the year goes as planned, Thiem also has a fixed point: “I really hope that the Olympics will be held in Tokyo. Of course in safe conditions, but it would be great, especially in Tokyo, one of my favorite Cities “. Thiem has gradually changed his attitude and now wants to be there.
“I was lucky because I couldn’t play the Olympics in 2020 because I was supposed to play in Kitzbühel. I’ll be able to play in 2021. I have changed my mind about the Olympics. Now it would be a dream for me to participate in the Games. I may definitely want to to play “.
He used to focus on Masters events, then saw emotional appearances at the 2016 Olympics from Juan Martin Del Potro or Andy Murray. “I’ve seen that the Olympics are very important in tennis. If I have a long career, I could play the Olympics three times, that would be great.”
Thiem: “the foot has recovered well”
Back in the “present”, Thiem again gave the go ahead regarding the injury to the sole of the foot, which had worsened in Vienna. “The foot has recovered well, it was not the first time I had the problem. I have trained thoroughly for the last ten or eleven days and I feel good. The surface there, of course, is again very aggressive. Foot, but we tap every day and try to keep the load as low as possible and then hopefully I can play as many games as possible. “
Since Friday afternoon it has also become clear that Thiem will not be the only Austrian in the season’s draw at the O2 Arena. Jürgen Melzer finally qualified for the third time for the ATP Finals double competition with the final in Sofia. Alongside his French teammate Edouard Roger-Vasselin he is in the Sofia final, so the two could also lose the final to their persistent pursuers Jamie Murray / Neal Skupski (GBR).
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