The world number 99 is preparing for his first match in Santiago and admits to feeling at home. He also talks about his relationship with Nicolás Massú.
The most important face of the Chile Open is ready for his debut. Dominic Thiem will take to the court at San Carlos de Apoquindo Main Court this Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., but he won’t have the fans on his side. The draw left him paired with Christian Garin in what will be the stellar first-round duel.
A meeting for which the Austrian is prepared and excited. In the press conference preceding the match, he recounted his days in Santiago and the sensations produced by his debut in a country with which he has a close relationship thanks to his professional relationship with Nicolás Massú.
“It will be a very difficult challenge for Christian. The public will be on their side, but I still expect a great atmosphere. It will be a good challenge “commented the former world trio, who also admitted that there are not many secrets with his rival.
“We practiced several times, I know Garin very well and he also knows me a lot, so I don’t think there are many secrets. Nothing new, not many surprises, but it will still be a good game. “, he added.
Obviously, the fact that Nicolás Massú is the coach of Europe helps the two players to meet several times in training and know their style of play perfectly.
And regarding his coach, Thiem had nothing but praise, stating that he still has full confidence in the Chilean Olympian, who has been leading him for four seasons now. “We have existed for a long time and it is a very good and interesting relationship, I am very happy with him. Obviously, as soon as we started, we had a big immediate success, we won a lot of tournaments and crowned with the US Open. Later came more difficult times with injuries and results, but the relationship is still there. Carry on very well. We are working together for better results to get out of this difficult situation “, he exposed.
As for the specific work they did for this tournament, the 2019 Indian Wells winner highlighted the time they spent in Santiago. “We had enough time to prepare well for the tournament, which is important because we are at a high altitude, with very different conditions than the last two seasons. I feel very good for tomorrow “, he estimated.
Finally, and taking advantage of the theme of the Chilean capital, Thiem confessed to feeling very comfortable: “Nico (Massú) knows all the staff and also knows the city very well. He took us to some great places and I already feel almost at home here, which is great. “, he concluded.
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Source: Latercera
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
