Dominic Thiem parts ways with manager Herwig Straka
In a surprising turn of events, Dominic Thiem and his manager Herwig Straka have parted ways, bringing their two-year association to an end. The announcement comes just days after Thiem was stunningly knocked out of the 2021 French Open by Pablo Andujar in the first round.
Herwig Straka, a former banker, holds multiple positions on the ATP tour. He is the tournament director of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna and is also part of the ATP Board of Directors as a tournament representative. Straka is also in charge of organizing the 2021 Davis Cup Finals, which will be held in Austria later this year.
Speaking on a recent broadcast, the 55-year-old admitted that he could no longer juggle so many responsibilities, which is why he had to relinquish his role as Thiem's manager.
"The different activities are certainly an advantage in many areas, but in the end it was difficult to manage all of them such as Dominic's full-time management, the organization of the ATP tournaments, my position on the ATP Board of Directors - or even the Davis Cup," Straka said.
Many have suggested that Straka's presence on Dominic Thiem's team was a massive conflict of interest, given the 55-year-old held important positions within the ATP tour. But following Straka's decision to step down as Thiem's manager, the US Open champion should no longer be subject to such scrutiny.
Herwig Straka revealed he had handed over Dominic Thiem's management duties to the Austrian's family.
"I hand over my agendas to Dominic's family, who have created an environment that is well positioned in all areas," added Straka.
I accept Straka's decision: Dominic Thiem
Dominic Thiem issued a brief statement to the Associated Press regarding Straka's departure. Thiem said he accepted the 55-year-old's decision and thanked him for his work.
"I can only thank Herwig for the work and commitment over the past two years and of course I accept his decision," said Dominic Thiem. "We were able to celebrate great successes together and stay in good contact."
It remains to be seen if Dominic Thiem's father Wolfgang Thiem will take over as his son's manager in addition to performing his coaching duties. It will also be interesting to see if Straka's decision will further affect Thiem's flagging fortunes.
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