ATP: Wien-Blog #4: Dreamjob Tennisprofi?

At the ATP Tournament in Vienna we will look into the question of whether tennis pros are really dream jobs – in the daily Wien-Blog we will introduce you to impressions from the Viennese Stadthalle around the tournament, the stars and the happenings.

Maximilian Kisanyik reports from the Vienna City Hall

Let’s dedicate this issue to the young savages of the tennis circus. It’s no secret that every tennis player once had the idea:”I would have liked to become a professional tennis player” But is it really so? Making your hobby a profession is only part of the truth. Let’s take the German shooting star Alexander Zverev. At the age of 20, he is a cool and serene tennis player in the public eye and is one of the top ten tennis players in the world. Only what if the lights go out and everyday life for the hamburger begins? Above all, there is a renunciation of the daily routine. Going to the cinema quickly, having a drink with friends or just spending two days lazily in your own bed – that’s just not possible.

Even at a young age, the youngsters’ everyday life is dominated by external influences and obligations. You can see that here in Vienna. Andrey Rublev, Kyle Edmund and Co. are sealed off as if they were not part of the public domain. That casts the star light on being a star. It seems impossible for the hope of the respective nations to move freely and simply stroll through the Vienna Stadthalle. Screeching fans and drawn smartphones are waiting for the players to enter the privacy of their favorite star without shame. To have to be touched constantly is still the slightest problem of the young idols.

To clarify matters: of course, the whole attitude around the “young guns” will be paid with a decent salary and a luxurious lifestyle. If a Thiem or Zverev retires in his early twenties, the earnings would easily reach old age at a normal standard of living. Yes, tennis pro is a dream job – with privations that not everyone would accept. Careers in other sports – such as football, for example – are naturally no less important.

During the morning practice session, the French shooting star Lucas Pouille was to be found. The number 25 in the world is a good example of the fact that 23-year-old tennis pros differ markedly from “normal” people of the same age. So focused and seemingly without youthful recklessness you can only see a few people acting in their old age. Pouille is a professional and he seems to know exactly what he’s doing.

Speaking of young and wild: The old iron in the “Circuit” is made up of two players from the third main round day. Philipp Kohlschreiber and Gilles Simon have been part of the ATP Tour for a long time and knew how to enchant the spectators on the stands with great exchanges of balls. Kohli “shows itself in great form in the Austrian capital and beats Pierre-Hugues Herbert. The duel of the generations came in the top game between Simon and Zverev.

Tennis fans complain that there are no real guys like Goran Ivanisevic, Boris Becker and Co. more than that. But one thing is forgotten: times have changed and it has become much more difficult to behave adequately in the current media landscape – especially as a young professional. An extroverted personality, such as Nick Kyrgios, for example, is immediately portrayed as rude and arrogant. It is therefore only understandable that the players do not disclose very much and like to use a few phrases. Last Tuesday, for example, a well-laughed but reserved Dominic Thiem sat on the press couch, watching every word that came across his lips.

The chance of identification with the players is fading away. The selfie age is fast-moving and marked by prejudice. Becoming a tennis professional “one of us” is incredibly difficult and seems to have become almost impossible. That’s why it’s good to see that the young stars go off camera with a lot of fun and free to go through life. A great example: Before the press conference after his opening victory, Thiem spent a few minutes in the catacombs of Vienna’s Stadthalle with fans trapped in the wheelchair. This was not a set-up and not a mandatory responsibility. The 23-year-old just pretended to be the way he is. And that’s a good thing.

The single panel in Vienna