"I posted the picture to end the rumor mill" - Dominic Thiem on his new relationship with Lili Paul-Roncalli
Dominic Thiem made heads turn last week by posting a picture of Lili Paul-Roncalli on his Instagram 'stories' and captioning it with a heart emoji. The World No. 3 has now spoken a little more about his new romance in an interview with Kronen Zeitung, claiming he uploaded the story in order to end the rumors.
There had been immense speculation about Thiem and Paul-Roncalli last month, and the Austrian's Instagram post was widely seen as a confirmation of the relationship. But Thiem refused to delve too deep into the matter, insisting that there was 'nothing more to say'.
"I posted the picture to end the rumor mill," Thiem said. "It's all very fresh, the last few weeks have been nice. There is nothing more to say for the time being."
Dominic Thiem also confirmed that Lili Paul-Roncalli would not be joining him along with his team in Australia, given the very strict COVID-19 regulations in place at Melbourne.
I am lucky that I play tennis because it's a sport where you don't have to hurt anyone: Dominic Thiem
Dominic Thiem is reportedly nearing the end of his long-standing legal battle with former coach Gunter Bresnik. The Austrian terminated his association with Bresnik in the early days of 2019, following a 15-year partnership on tour. But the coach took legal action against the US Open-champion, claiming he is still entitled to his income.
Although the legal battle may be coming to end through an out-of-court settlement, the 27-year-old recently opened up about his time with Bresnik and his delight at being able to work with current coach Nicolas Massu.
"Right from the start, Nico gave me a lot more freedom (as compared to Bresnik)," said Dominic Thiem.
Speaking about the bitter end with his former coach, the Austrian said: "At some point all the joy of playing was gone."
Bresnik's approach is considered to be a very aggressive one; the Austrian coach is known to have a style that is hands-on and relentless. Although the professional relationship between the pair has come to a disappointing end, Thiem asserted that he doesn't wish for there to be any acrimony between him and Bresnik, who has had an intimate relationship with the entire Thiem family over the years.
"I like things to be harmonious (between him and Bresnik)," Dominic Thiem said. "I am lucky that I play tennis because it's a sport where you don't have to hurt anyone."