Dominic Thiem joins Gerard Pique's management agency Kosmos, reunites with former coach Galo Blanco
Dominic Thiem recently took to Instagram to confirm that he had signed up with Kosmos Holding, the sports and media investment group founded by FC Barcelona star Gerard Pique.
Kosmos announced on Thursday that they would be offering legal services to athletes via their player agency. The agency will be headed by Galo Blanco, who coached Thiem for a period of time in 2018.
Blanco will also be taking on the role of Dominic Thiem's new agent.
The Austrian, who split with his long-time manager Herwig Straka earlier this month, hailed the partnership as the start of a new era. Thiem also expressed his excitement at working with Galo Blanco again, whom he called a "truly great guy".
"I am really excited because Galo will be with me again, we worked well together before," Dominic Thiem wrote on his blog. "I completely trust him, on a personal note, he is a truly great guy. I am absolutely convinced we will work together perfectly, who knows maybe this will go on beyond my career."
Kosmos founder and president Gerard Pique congratulated Thiem for inking the deal; the Austrian is the company's first signing.
"We are very excited about this project. Many people who have been linked to sport for many years and specialize in different key areas in the development of an athlete's career work at Kosmos," Gerard Pique said. "We know what is important for the active players and for their future, because many of us have been professional players."
Two years ago, Kosmos struck a 25-year partnership with the International Tennis Federation to transform the Davis Cup. The company is responsible for organizing the revamped 18-team competition, which takes place at a single location for one week.
Some believe Dominic Thiem's new relationship with Kosmos could be a conflict of interest whenever he participates in the Davis Cup. It remains to be seen how Thiem and the organization handle that part of their operations when the time comes around.
I cannot give an exact estimate of my level: Dominic Thiem on grasscourt preparations
Dominic Thiem is currently preparing for the grasscourt season at former Austrian player Gottfried Stadlhuber's tennis academy. Thiem revealed he was beginning to find his best tennis, but admitted he couldn't give "an exact estimate" of his level on the surface yet.
"I have spent the last couple of days on grass courts. I practiced at the courts of Gottfried Stadlhuber in Kremsmuenster, for decades he has been the only one maintaining grass courts in Austria," Thiem wrote on his blog. "It was a lot of fun, it was a special experience as they are the only grass courts in Austria."
"The sessions were fine, the strokes have been becoming better and I feel physically topfit," he added. "However, I cannot give an exact estimate of my level, grass court tennis has its own rules."