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For the first time since Thomas Muster in 1995, a national Grand Slam winner will again serve in the ATP tournament starting Monday at the Wiener Stadthalle. Last year, Dominic Thiem, a US Open winner, won what he believed to be the “most valuable title” (after New York). Indeed, the victory at the Erste Bank Open marked a milestone in the star’s career. However, the conditions to successfully defend the title this year are not the best for several reasons: above all, the extremely strong lineup with seven players in the top ten, especially Novak Djokovic (Serbia), makes it very difficult for Thiem.
“Seven top ten players, under 30, of which almost every round is a final,” Thiem said Thursday of next week’s challenge. “I can play against the top 15 players in the first round, and if you want to go far against the other top 15 players. In terms of value, that’s like a Masters.” The competing tournament in Basel, which was prematurely canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, like an ATP 500 tournament in Vienna, does not attract the top ten players to Switzerland this time.
The big problem, however, is that, unlike last year, Thiem will not have a sold out room behind them. “Last year was crazy. I think all the games were sold out. I remember mainly the semi-finals and finals. I never played before and after that when the mood was better,” recalls Thiem. Their fans would have liked to celebrate Lower Austria, playing like the Grand Slam winner in Austria for the first time, but the pandemic creates an absurd situation: Vienna will have the most crowded tournament since the event started in 1974, albeit so few. Viewers like never before. Under Djokovic, a number one arrives in Vienna for the first time in 13 years: in 2006 he was eliminated in the round of 16, in 2007 he was the winner of the tournament. The dream final would also be a repeat of this year’s Australian Open final. Djokovic had defeated Dominic Thiem in five sets after a 1: 2 deficit. He is clear that defending his title will be very difficult for Thiem due to the strong field and after the rigors of the two Grand Slam tournaments in a row. He doesn’t expect to be able to defend his “most valuable title after the US Open.” “I hope I can do it again at some point.”
Fans bring food
Until his first appearance on Tuesday, Thiem was still looking forward to good training days, as on Friday the 27-year-old Austrian was in the safety bubble, the bubble. That means staying alone in the hotel, in the complex and in protected areas and not “sleeping at home”. The novelty is that this time the spectators can even take their own food if they wish; however, for security reasons, bottles and cans are not allowed in the room and should be refilled at the entrance. At the same time, however, contrary to what was originally prescribed, there will now be a gastronomic offer. However, tournament organizer Herwig Straka has little joy with the crown-related conditions.
He is particularly upset that the number of spectators has dropped from 1,500 to 1,000 per session despite the large area of the town hall. “Apart from a regulation, I never questioned anything else and accepted it. The disproportionate nature of the size of the room is still incomprehensible to me, it is a provocation. With smaller rooms it naturally makes a difference if there are 1,500 or, but not in City Hall “.
After all, the prices did not increase. The only novelty is that you have to pay for the classification that would otherwise be free on Saturdays and Sundays (only for these there are tickets left). If you have not received any more tickets for the main competition, you have the opportunity to see Thiem, Djokovic and Co. on television. The ORF and Servus TV broadcast the town hall tournament live.(what / lane)
