"Can’t wait to be on the same side of the net" - Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev ecstatic about playing together at the World Tennis League
Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev couldn’t hold back their excitement about playing in the World Tennis League. The duo will be seen on the same side of the net as they have been grouped together in Team Hawks at the event, which will be held from December 19-24 at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena.
The German-speaking best friends expressed their delight about the news on social media.
"Can’t wait to be on the same side of the net this time Dominic Thiem! (At the World Tennis League) #Hawks," Alexander Zverev wrote in his Instagram story.
Dominic Thiem, who last played against the German at the Madrid Open in 2021, responded by stating that he was pumped about the team-up and asked the former World No. 2 about his mixed doubles pick. The Austrian also remarked that he was happy to see the 25-year-old back on court, having suffered a freak ankle injury in the semifinals of the French Open earlier this year.
"It’s been a long time! Glad to have you back on the court! Let’s rock this together. Who you’re gonna play mixed with?" he said.
Alexander Zverev was quick to ask his teammates Elena Rybakina and Anett Kontaveit about their potential pairing.
"Who's gonna put up with me?" he jokingly asked.
Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev’s Team Hawks will also include former World No. 2 Kontaveit and 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina. The quartet will be seen playing singles as well as mixed doubles matches at the exhibition event. In their pursuit of victory, the group will be up against three other teams – the Falcons, the Eagles and the Kites.
Other prominent athletes set to participate in the first edition of the much-anticipated tournament are – Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Nick Kyrgios, Paula Badosa and Felix Auger-Aliassime, to name a few.
Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev’s 2022 season
Former World No. 3 Dominic Thiem and former World No. 2 Alexander Zverev witnessed an unusual season in 2022.
Zverev managed to attain a few satisfactory results by featuring in the finals at Montpellier and the Masters 1000 in Madrid. He also scored a quarterfinals finish at the Miami Masters and semifinal finishes at the Rome Masters and Monte Carlo Masters before reaching the final four of the French Open after a quarterfinals victory over Carlos Alcaraz. However, while going neck and neck against Rafael Nadal in the semifinals in Paris, the 25-year-old suffered a freak injury to his ankle, which cut his 2022 season short.
Dominic Thiem, meanwhile, is yet to win a title since his 2020 US Open victory against Zverev in a tightly contested five-set summit clash. He witnessed a slump in form after incurring a wrist injury at the Mallorca Open, which put an end to his 2021 season. In 2022, Thiem made a poor start, registering seven straight losses to add to his three back-to-back ones from 2021. However, the Austrian regained some momentum and reached the quarterfinals of the Swedish Open and the Austrian Open Kitzbuhel. He also made the semifinals in Gstaad, Gijon and Antwerp, as well as the finals of the Rennes Challenger.
The German and the Austrian will look to have a strong showing in Dubai ahead of the 2023 season.