Ruthless Thiem out to upset odds
IF Dominic Thiem manages to upset Novak Djokovic in today’s Australian Open final he will do so with the unusual distinction of having fired a high-profile coach halfway through the tournament.
His decision to dispense with Thomas Muster, 1995 French Open champion and a rare Austrian tennis legend, after the second round has been a sensitive subject during his run.
Thiem has largely kept his head down, amid the suggestion that this decisive act seems to have bolstered him in overcoming such challenges as Rafael Nadal in the quarter-final.
Yesterday Thiem’s father Wolfgang, a coach who taught him the game in the small eastern town of Lichtenworth, shed more light on the matter.
It appears that the notoriously strong-minded Muster may have been a little too vocal too soon, hence the decision of the world No 5 to stick with his dad and regular coach, the former Chilean player Nicolas Massu.
‘For me the most important thing is that the coach understands what the player needs and not that the coach wants to make a copy of himself,’ said Thiem Sr.
‘Dominic is already 26, so he has his personality. This was for me the main point, that Dominic needs someone who gives him the free space to develop, to play his game.
‘He always needs some advices, but short advices. If you have someone who says too much, who is too much into it, then it doesn’t work. Hopefully he’s mature enough now. After two weeks he said, “No, it doesn’t fit.” (Muster had been around prior to the tournament).
‘It was unlucky because it was during a Grand Slam tournament. On the other hand, you have to try it out in such an important tournament.’
Regardless of who is mentoring him, Thiem faces an unenviable task in trying to stop Djokovic winning a 17th Grand Slam title, and his eighth at his favourite venue.
Former world No1 Mats Wilander believes the outcome could determine who between Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer ends up with bragging rights about being the greatest player of all time.
‘For sure this final is Novak’s to lose,’ Wilander told Eurosport. ‘You can literally say this is Novak’s most important if he wants to start seriously competing for the title of best ever.
‘If he wins here we know it’s more than likely he will win another major this year — that is always the pattern when he wins the Australian Open. Suddenly he has 18 or so if that trend follows (Nadal has 19, Federer 20).
‘He could have a good year and win maybe three or four and then be at 19 or 20. So this would give him a huge confidence boost.’
Djokovic has not lost a match since he arrived in Australia, and has carried on largely from where he left off in the ATP Cup, which he won for Serbia in Sydney.
In the team competition that preceded this event Thiem lost two of his three singles matches, but has since been showing the hard-court form that saw him win the ATP Masters event in Indian Wells last March.
If the contest is of similar standard to the unexpected gem that was their last meeting — the three-setter edged by Thiem at London’s ATP Finals in November — then it will be a treat.