'I supported players long before corona' - Dominic Thiem hits back at critics
Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem has doubled down on his stand of not wanting to help the lower-ranked tennis players during these testing times. During an interview with DerStandard ahead of the Generali Austrian Pro Series, the 26-year-old elaborated on his much-criticized belief, and added that some of his comments were taken out of context.
A few days ago, Dominic Thiem had stated that he would prefer to contribute to deserving causes instead of donating money to a player relief fund. In Thiem's opinion, the players ranked between 250 and 700 are not in desperate need of money; the World No. 3 even went as far as calling some of them unprofessional.
Thiem received widespread flak for his comments, with many players and fans calling him insensitive and entitled, but the Austrian had a few supporters too. Retired Indian tennis star Somdev Devvarman was among those who backed Thiem's view, as was Arina Rodionova.
I stand by what I said: Dominic Thiem
When asked about the reason behind his denial to help the lower-ranked tennis players, Dominic Thiem said he doesn't wish to issue any clarification now. He did, however, add that part of his message may have been lost in translation.
"I don't really want to clarify anything, I stand by what I said," Thiem said. "The problem was that a headline was taken out, there was a shortening. I said from the start that a lot of players are worthy of support."
Further elaborating on his stand in the debate, Dominic Thiem pointed out that he was on the Futures Tour for two years and knew that there were a few players who weren't dependent on tennis for their livelihood. He also stressed that charity is supposed to be a private matter, and that he had helped a lot of players in the past without publicizing his efforts.
"I was on the Future Tour myself for more than two years," the 2020 Australian Open finalist continued. "There are (a) few who just hang around and see it as a beautiful life. That is also a fact.
"I want to decide for myself who I help. I supported players long before Corona, but I don't give names. Donating is a private matter, a matter close to the heart. You don't have to hang that on the big bell, just to look great in public. I give money to various organizations that care about people, animals or the climate."
Thiem also responded to the emotional video by Algerian player Ines Ibbou, who pointed out in painful detail the kind of hardships the lower-ranked players face. The Austrian acknowledged Ibbou's sentiment, but said that it had been sent to the 'completely wrong addressee'.
Thiem believes there are some serious problems in the ATP pay structure, and that it is the responsibility of the organizers - rather than the players - to correct that.
"The people who stand between one 100 and 300 are incredibly strong players," Thiem said. "It is extremely difficult to win a Challenger tournament. It cannot be that you win and make a minus. Because you take a trainer with you and you have to pay him.
"A lot is going wrong," Thiem added. "But I should not and cannot correct this imbalance; the change must come from associations, organizers and officials."
There are a few good things to it: Dominic Thiem on COVID-19
When asked whether the coronavirus-enforced break has helped him in any way, Thiem said he has been 'slowed down', just the way Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev have. The Austrian also mentioned Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, saying that they would be able to re-energize themselves during the time off.
"It is not good or bad for anyone," Thiem said. "I was in shape, was slowed down by the corona virus. Nadal and Federer (don't play) every tournament, they don't have that many because of age, but they can regenerate their bodies. Tsitsipas and Medvedev were pushing upwards, they had an abrupt break. I try to improve my fitness."
Dominic Thiem also spoke about the impact that the pandemic has had on the world. He feels that the virus, as devastating as it has been, has also helped in some ways - mainly by putting a check on uncontrolled expansion.
"There are a few good things to it, although that sounds silly," Thiem said. The environment is recovering, dolphins are swimming again in front of Monaco. One should think of these things even without a virus. The system was much too inflated worldwide, we should keep everything smaller in future."
Speaking of his chances in the game against David Pichler in the Generali Austrian Pro Series, Thiem said that he is probably the favorite to win. However, he added a caveat that since he has not played a match in the last three months, anything could happen.