“When you have thousands of comments on every article written about you, 50 percent of which ‘wish you dead’ – every time – that wears you down at some point. That’s bullying.”
ÖTV sports director Jürgen Melzer recently addressed these clear words to the public. He was referring to the countless hateful posts towards players on the ATP and WTA tours.
In autumn 2023, ÖTV founded a task force to help those affected come to terms with it and take action against it.
Thiem in particular has repeatedly been the target of attacks since he celebrated his comeback after his long-term wrist injury. Since then, the now 30-year-old has been trying to keep up with his previous achievements, but he continues to suffer setbacks. This in turn causes many anonymous trolls on the internet to wish the worst for Thiem.
Which is “tough” for Thiem
Tennis expert Alexander Antonitsch also commented on this on Monday during the ServusTV talk format “Sport & Talk in Hangar 7”.
“If you see Dominic Thiem how difficult it is for him to stay positive: he is fighting with himself and the injury,” said the 58-year-old. “The positive thing about always sticking with it is so tough. You have to go up every step,” he says, pointing out what a challenging path Thiem has to face.
Because this also needs to be recognized: Thiem is trying hard and wants to get back to where he was.
“I recently talked to him for three quarters of an hour. And you realize: he really wants to, otherwise he wouldn’t do this to himself.”
Antonitsch about Thiem
“I recently talked to him for three quarters of an hour. And you realize: he really wants to, otherwise he wouldn’t do this to himself. It’s really hard to see him and also how hard it is to come back,” says Antonitsch.
That’s why Antonitsch has no understanding for the abusive comments online. “That is not possible. Anyone who makes stupid comments hasn’t experienced anything themselves,” he states clearly.
“He doesn’t owe anyone anything”
Thiem has brought Sport Austria a lot of joy over the past decade, which, in Antonitsch’s opinion, has been pushed far too much into the background: “People, including colleagues and media colleagues, forget what Dominic Thiem has achieved. He doesn’t owe anyone anything. You “You’re quickly made big and then you quickly forget,” warns the former ÖTV Daviscupper, but it is also clear to him: “That’s just the sport: As beautiful as it is, it can be brutal.”
But how can Thiem build on previous achievements? Above all, he needs a sense of success, says Antonitsch. The basis for this lies in daily work. “The perverse thing is: It starts with training. If I start complaining during training, how can I expect that I will be fully there in the third set when it comes to the sausage?” says the 58-year-old to understand.
These successes can also ensure that Thiem regains momentum. Of course, this is easier said than done. “The flow, the zone that we all rave about, where everything happens so easily,” must be the goal, “the necessary tension for my work,” as Antonitsch explains.
“When you’re in there, you have the feeling that now I can tear the world apart. But getting there is the difficult part. Often you’re under and then you shoot over again,” he gives an insight into how difficult this can be.
Revolutionary Stan Franker
If the pressure is too great, reaching this zone becomes even more difficult. Antonitsch also knows from his own experience what pressure – especially from outside – can have. He makes an appeal to the public and the error culture that is far too often misunderstood in our part of the world: “We look for errors. Everyone says what you can’t do,” criticizes the ex-professional.
That’s why it’s important to know yourself well and to have people around you who support you. “In sport you won’t forget people who encourage and challenge you,” says Antonitsch. He had one like that in Stan Franker in the 80s.
Stan Franker caused Antonitsch to radically rethink his approach.
Photo: © GEPA
The former coach and later ÖTV sports director caused him, Thomas Muster and Horst Skoff to radically rethink. “He said: You can achieve anything. We thought: What kind of stories is he telling us? We were always told: I can’t do it, he can’t do that. And he said: We can achieve anything,” says Antonitsch back.
Antonitsch criticized the development of young talent
Especially for young athletes, a positive, natural attitude is essential. “You see how many people struggle with depression. You have to take that seriously. I always say that young athletes in particular need to be protected,” he points out.
But that is not just the task of associations and trainers, he adds. “Parents also have to notice warning signs. We started because we had fun. Today, children at the age of twelve have little fun and a lot of pressure,” he criticizes the increasingly performance-oriented system.
This is particularly evident on the Internet through the numerous hateful comments. That’s why Antonitsch, like Melzer and ÖTV, is calling for intervention in this cycle: “It can’t go on like this in the long run. Politicians have to do something about it. We have to be able to be held liable for it.”
You can watch the entire program on ServusTV On.
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2024-02-27 10:15:27
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