Dominic Tim’s hopes on tough US courts

After the home game in Kitzbühel, it was time to go abroad. After all, the US Open is well prepared towards the former champion.

Kitzbuehel. In fact, everything was arranged: the draw was good, the upside with the quarter-finals and semi-finals at Baastad and Gstaad was clear and an excited Betty crowd behind us. But Dominic Thiem’s ​​dream of a fairy-tale comeback in Kitzbühel exploded in the quarter-finals. The 2020 US Open winner is not yet where he is, as his fans want him to be. The next chapter is on the way back: the hard court season from mid-August in the US.

“I’m looking forward to playing hard again. The conditions in Gstaad and here were tough as well. The warmer it gets, the higher the heights the balls get cut.” for them in Kitzbuehel. However, he can look back with some satisfaction from his recent claycourt tournaments, his streak of quarter-finals, semi-finals and quarter-finals has been fine.

Now is the time to use the time left until departure for Ohio. Fitness then another training block on Tim’s plan before his US tour begins in Cincinnati on August 14. Winston Salem follows the following week and then the US Open from August 29. Thiem has earned a wildcard in the last two tournaments. An absolute rarity, especially for the big event in New York. “It’s crazy for me,” the 28-year-old said, and he can now use his protected standings for another tournament after injury. And rewarded for his performance for 2020 as he celebrated his biggest victory to date at Flushing Meadows.

No more rewards in the fall

After things did not go as hoped at Kitzbühel, Tim will be ranked 170th in the world rankings on Monday. Of his nine chances to participate in the Protected Ranking tournaments at the time of his injury (ranked 6th in the world), he has exhausted five so far. For Cincinnati, he needs the sixth, and he can replace the remaining three until October 24. At this time, the Vienna Stadthallen is waiting, which, however, also retained the wild card of the local champion.

However, there is no longer a bonus after Vienna. Only then does Thiem’s ​​current rank matter. On the sand and in Kitzbühel, he would have liked to take the pressure off the rankings. Now the hopes are on solid US courts.