Zizou Bergs: Chili-Rel Shock & Untold Story

“I am now here 72 hours, after 7 weeks in the US and tomorrow I will leave for Australia again to play in Asia for 3 weeks.”

Welcome to the fast life Van Zizou Bergs, who, despite his speed passage at home, takes extensive time to receive us for an interview. A conversation with the smooth -talking sign of the Belgian tennis is always fascinating, but just a little more after a turbulent season.

Because just back to February.

Bergs then ended up in a Chilean storm after being unhappy during the Daviscup meeting against his opponent Cristian Garin popped into the euphoria of a crucially won game.

For the first time our countryman looks back on the incident.

“That was Spicy then,” says Bergs with a small smile.

“I was in full ecstasy and I didn’t look at my opponent anymore when I walked to the couch to pip my teammates. Look, I know that I made a mistake by recklessly crossing the track. Only it is still a bit with the shoulder, hey. It has been really magnified.”

After the collision, Garin refused to continue playing, causing Chile to lose the game. In South America there was a wave of anger, which was expressed on the social media of Bergs. Especially in the form of Chilean recipes.

“In two days I received 400,000 responses,” Bergs blows.

“I even find it incredible that such a number can come in on your phone. At a certain point you no longer even feel safe – we have really been shocked. In consultation with the ATP, a safety plan has been drawn up for my tournaments in the US. Fortunately everything went well there.”

“Do you know that today I still get recipes? Really crazy (laughs) and no, I have not tried to make Chile Con Carne myself. That’s something for in November or December.”

Bergs has never spoken with Garin since the incident.

“Apparently he is still angry about what happened then. We sometimes come across each other in the hallway, but then he will avoid me when I nod. Oh well, according to his colleagues, Cristian is also just a bit like that. Nothing is stuck with the rest of his team, they assure them.”

This summer it is raining reactions on the Bergs Instagram account.

This time not an angry chileans, but people who encourage him. Because after his exit in the first round of Wimbledon, the number 46 in the world makes a frank testimony.

Bergs writes that he “did not amuse any point in Wimbledon”.

“I could no longer enjoy the game because I constantly had voices in my head,” Bergs now looks back. “At a certain moment I got into a fight with almost everyone during my match. The fans, the referee, my team … In retrospect I was really degraded.”

“I was a bit lost. I normally perform well under pressure, but the stress made me limited myself. I was suddenly afraid of making mistakes. It was a poisonous factor in my system.”

“Whether it was a sort of burnout? (Shake the head) No, because I was still ridiculously driven. Only I no longer had fun. And so it was important to take and reflect on myself.”

“On one day – we were in the US – I realized that it was those voices in my head that ruined everything. From then on we started working with it every day. In the meantime I can enjoy tennis again.”

According to Bergs, it is not surprising that tennis players sometimes go mentally due to a difficult period.

“In the head it is the most difficult sport there is,” he assures.

“I certainly don’t want to underestimate some other athletes, but on a lesser day you can’t hide behind anything. Moreover, there are players who – just like me so far – do not win any tournament in a season. That means that you lose at least once every week. And the victories in between can never enjoy the next day. To get one After a victory. “

Despite final places in Auckland and Rosmalen, Bergs could not book a tournament victory this year. Yet the 26-year-old Limburger is still extremely ambitious for the coming weeks.

Starting with the Daviscup clash against Australia, where a ticket for the Final 8 is at stake.

“It will be difficult, but it would be a great step for the Belgian tennis,” Bergs assures.

“I think it’s a shame that there is sometimes so little interest in our country for such a beautiful sport. There are again internationally fantastic stars with Alcaraz and Sinner.”

“On the Belgian level there is no better platform to advertise for our sport than the Daviscup. Because that is my main ambition: make Belgian tennis great again.”

Bergs will have a great opportunity for that in mid -October, on such a beloved European Open – since this year in Brussels.

“If there is one tournament that I prefer to win … sometimes I think that my first victory has to be on the ATP Tour (laughs) that final in Auckland was on the other side of the world and Rosmalen was near-Belgia. The tournament in Brussels will soon be a big goal for me.”

“Maybe my batteries will not be fully charged, but with the support of the audience I can always do something more there. It just has to be a party.”

A striking prize that Bergs did take in the past year: that of the most environmentally conscious player on the circuit.

“I am very consciously working on that,” said our countryman. “We are lucky that Belgium is centrally located, so that I often have alternatives. For example, I can go to England by train or car. Flying is always the last option for me.”

“We have to enter our journeys in an app” Carbon Tracker “, where you can also buy off your CO2 emissions with money spent on charities.”

The price was also linked to a premium of 50,000 euros, which the tennis player distributed over “Tous à Bord” (an organization that helps wheelchair athletes participate in marathons), the “Moore Foundation” (for disadvantaged students in higher education “and Tennis Flanders.

Incidentally, it is not the first time that Bergs has shown his big heart for others.

“I’ve been sending clothes and material to Burundi for about 10 years. That is a way to recycle, but also something to help people there.”

“As a 15-year-old I once went to Burundi and had brought an old racket on the advice of my coach.” Do they really want that? “I thought. When I saw what my old things meant for them … I left almost everything there because it touched me like that.”

Our final question to the man with the many layers: what do we actually don’t know about him?

“I am a very inquisitive guest,” he says.

“I would like to be able to do everything and know too. Now I am busy chessing. And earlier I had a period of Japanese cooking. (Laughs) As soon as I have the feeling that I can do something, I go to the next. My girlfriend calls it my” trends “. You can also see it: art, dogs, Japan … a little bit of everything.”

“Furthermore, I am someone who is very extreme in everything. During Corona I was once at my seat when I suddenly had the idea of ​​running a marathon that day. Without preparation or breakfast. (Grijnst) I have to stop after 31 kilometers, but that’s just the way I am. What Matthieu Bonne does, I find very cool. Just like TV programs, for example.”

“In any case, I would also like to do business after my career and develop something. Marc Coucke is an unlikely hero for me. I think it is great that such a person still lives in Belgium.”

“And Average Rob is also an example for me. He did not have the goal of being an entrepreneur, but from his passion, he does build incredible projects. Like his beer brand. Well, I also want such a baby to be busy with.”