Dominic Thiem’s ​​message to the complainers: “No one had to come …”

Dominic Thiem is one of the “privileged” in Australia. He is one of the handful of players, the stars of world tennis, quarantined in a “bubble” in Adelaide rather than with the main body in Melbourne. “We can train for about two hours a day and go out for a total of four hours. The rest of the time we are at the hotel“, entrusted the world number 3 to Eurosport in an interview with our consultant, Boris Becker.

Next week, Thiem, like Djokovic, Nadal, Barty, Halep and others, will also have the chance to play an exhibition in Adelaide. Ideal to find a little the rhythm of the game in conditions close to competition.

A lot of teeth have been gritted this week among the players, with many complaining about the way they are “treated” by their Australian hosts. Thiem is not on this line: “It’s a crazy time, but we all knew what to expect. The coronavirus is almost extinct in Australia and they want to guard against a rebound in the epidemic. So, yes, the conditions are strict, but that’s understandable. Again, everyone knew what to expect when coming here. No one had to come, everyone made their own decision.”

The only problem in his eyes is the 72 players placed in strict isolation, without being able to leave their room for 14 days, because they are in contact with having been on a plane with a person positive for Covid-19. “For them, it’s hard, concedes the Austrian. It is clear that they will have a big disadvantage. For sure. They will still have nine days to train before the Australian Open, but compared to those who can train ‘normally’ they will have a big disadvantage. It is indisputable and I am very sorry for them.”

However, Dominic Thiem does not see a sufficient reason to postpone the dates of this Australian Open even less to postpone it. Too bad for the “ultra-confined”. And as often, he gives his opinion without taking too many tweezers.

“It will sound hard, but there are ‘only’ 70 people involved, otherwise everyone can train normally, he believes. What would be unfair, for anyone who has made this long trip so far, would be to cancel the Australian Open.. For us, and also for Tennis Australia (the federation, organizer of the event) which does everything possible to make it possible.”

He therefore continues to prepare as actively as possible for this first major meeting of the year 2021, which he approaches with envy after having taken a new step last year: “2020 has been a sensational sport for me, winning my first Grand Slam tournament was a unique sensation, the best experience of my entire career. I want to relive this.”

This season, Thiem is therefore again aiming for at least one great title. And if we do not choose these things, after his victory at the US Open, his “preference” would rather go to Paris:

“Roland-Garros is probably my main goal this year. It’s my favorite tournament since I reached the final in the juniors, I’ve always played really well in recent years. I know there is a complicated opponent, but that’s really the really big goal this season.”