Dominic Thiem announced his separation from his coach Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh on Tuesday at a press conference in Schörfling am Attersee, where he and Sebastian Ofner, among other things, informed regarding their season planning.
“Yes, I separated from Benny following Australia,” said Thiem. An agreement is close to being reached with a successor who will become a dedicated touring coach. Thiem didn’t want to name anyone yet, he just revealed that he wasn’t Austrian.
Thiem will now train more at home in Traiskirchen and Oberpullendorf with his father Wolfgang. He has changed his plan for the next few months and is returning to the Challenger Tour for a few tournaments.
Statement von Dominic Thiem:
After the Davis Cup in Ireland this weekend, which, like Ofner, he is playing because of the ITF regulations in order to possibly be able to take part in the Olympics, Thiem will also take part in a long-promised exhibition tournament (UTS) in Oslo.
Then “you have to think regarding whether the whole thing is still worth it.”
“Then I’ll skip the trip to America this year and train once more for two or three weeks. Then I’ll start on clay in March with three challengers: Szekesfehervar, Zadar and Napoli,” Thiem caused astonishment.
Only then will he decide what to do next. He has almost no points to defend until Monte Carlo. That’s why he wants to collect a lot of points from the Challengers mentioned. “Then it can soon go towards the top 70 or 60 and I can also plan better because the ranking where I am now is a difficult one. Every 250cc tournament is a tough game.”
He was simply missing the last percent and that’s why he decided to “come back home”. He doesn’t miss much. “I see this as my last chance. If I can do it, it can happen quickly.”
When asked what the last chance statement means exactly, Thiem said: “I’ve been back for two years now since the injury and I finished 2022 at 100 or so and last year at 98. Should I end the year at 100 once more, You have to think regarding whether the whole thing is still worth it.” His goal for this year is the top 50.
Never for the money
The decision to change coach came following the five-set defeat at the Australian Open. “For two years now I’ve been in ranking spheres that I don’t want to be in. Of course that puts a strain on me,” Thiem reflected.
“There are a lot of things that come along that I haven’t known for years, such as worrying regarding getting into the main competitions of tournaments for ages.”
However, the 2020 US Open winner and four-time major finalist rejects doomsayers online that he would only play for the money. “I never did it for the money either. I’m not a person who values money very much. As honest as I am, I don’t really care regarding the whole topic. I’ve been chasing the feeling for a long time, really like that once more in a match To play tennis the way I know how. And how I demand it of myself.”
“It won’t be such a sensation”
In any case, the new touring coach will not be a big name or even a super coach. “No, it won’t be such a sensation, definitely not. I want someone who also knows my path. I became so successful in a certain way.”
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When asked regarding a return to Günter Bresnik, who had shaped him into a top player for a long time, Thiem quickly replied in the negative. “No. It will be someone who knows me as a player – since I was young, so to speak. I see that as the only chance to get the finishing touches.”
The final in Kitzbühel last year was a good week. “But the first rounds in Kitz were just regarding fighting, I somehow got over it, you have to be honest like that. So I won’t have much success in the long term.” Things went better for him in the USA followingwards. “Then unfortunately the stomach issue got in the way.” In this regard, Thiem finally gave the all-clear, everything is fine once more with his stomach.
