Dominic Thiem claims his expectations in Madrid are "super low", says 2 weeks ago he didn't know if he'd play the tournament
Dominic Thiem marked his return to the tour with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Marcos Giron in the second round of the 2021 Mutua Madrid Open on Tuesday. But despite a stellar performance where he didn't face a single break point, Thiem revealed after the match that he wasn't harboring any lofty ambitions at the tournament.
Speaking to the media late on Tuesday, the Austrian reiterated that his ultimate goal was to attain peak form for the French Open. Thiem asserted that his expectations from Madrid are "still super low", and that he hopes to improve on his level by playing more matches over the coming weeks.
"There were times in March when I felt very bad in general," Dominic Thiem said. "Even then, however, I had Roland Garros in the back of my mind as a great goal. My expectations are still there, that's where I want to achieve my goal - peak of play again."
"To be honest, two weeks ago I didn't even know if I was going to be here, so expectations are still super low," Thiem added. "A win like today is a great success, because it gives me the opportunity to play another high-level match, something that will help me for the next few weeks. The expectations here are tremendously low, and I hope to raise them little by little each tournament."
There was no anxiety, but there was uncertainty: Dominic Thiem
Although Dominic Thiem had last played at the Dubai Open in March, he wasn't nervous about rust playing a role in his encounter against Marcos Giron. The 27-year-old was, however, unsure about how the center court would behave, given that he had only practiced on the outer courts the previous couple of days.
"No, there was no anxiety, but without a doubt there was uncertainty to see how things were going to turn out," Thiem explained. "I was playing quite well in my last days of training, but I always practiced on the outer courts, which are faster and smaller."
Dominic Thiem was also asked if he had any advice for other players, given how his decision to take a mini-break from tennis seemed to have helped him.
A couple of days earlier Thiem had spoken about Benoit Paire, who has been struggling with mental health issues since the resumption of the tour. Paire had responded by suggesting that the decisions regarding his life were best left to him alone.
On Tuesday, Dominic Thiem backtracked a little on his earlier comments. The Austrian pointed out that tennis is a physically and mentally draining sport, while also acknowledging that every player has his or her own requirements.
Thiem even claimed that the six-month break he got due to the COVID-enforced tour suspension was helpful, and that he could take another such hiatus in the future.
"I think that all players are different," Dominic Thiem said. "It is clear that the COVID restrictions had something to do with my break, but not too much. Tennis is one of the very few sports in which you have to play eleven months in a row, and that is really tough."
"The six-month hiatus last year suited me very well, and doing this is something I definitely keep in mind for the future," Thiem added. "I think it's a good thing, especially as you get older. It is clear that you can play week after week, I also did it, but the more experience you have, the more positive it can be to take a break sometimes. It has helped me, without a doubt, but each person is different and I would not like to distribute advice."