ATP: Dominic Thiem with the One-Handed-Backhand-Boys?”That would be too embarrassing.”

Dominic Thiem gave his obligatory press conference on Thursday afternoon in the run-up to Indian Wells – and seems satisfied with form and fitness. Only vocally it seems to be lacking.

By Florian Goosmann from Indian Wells

Dominic Thiem was a cameraman yesterday. He came to the press conference with a GoPro in his hand,”I’m taking people with me on Media Day today,”he explained the planned story for the ATP page.

The situation on the course:”I like to play here and also well in recent years,”he explained. Last year, Thiem had scored his best result in Indian Wells with the quarter-finals, losing to Stan Wawrinka in the third set in the tiebreak. Also this year everything seems to be prepared for a good performance.

“The places fit well, are not too fast, the balls come up well,”Thiem continued. Doha was good, as was Australia, and I lost to Delpo in Acapulco, who won the tournament without a hitch. He was a good year on Hartplatz, heading in the right direction.”

Following the international press round, tennisnet. com also had the chance to ask Thiem a few questions in German. We wanted to know exactly how his hard court play would improve. Thiem’s answer:”The most important thing for me is to be closer to the line. I do that partly already well, but still let myself fall behind too often. These phases, where I stand behind the line, shall become less.”

In order to shorten the break between Acapulco and Indian Wells, Günter Bresnik and Thiem had flown in fitness coach and sports scientist Michael Reinprecht in particular,”also because there is little time after Miami to insert such a block”, explained the sixth in the world ranking.

So there’s no time for too much privacy, even if thanks to the combined event also girlfriend Kristina Mladenovic is staying in Indian Wells. A trip to Los Angeles or something like that wasn’t planned,”we both train for a long time, then we still have treatment, physio…. During and before the tournaments, there’s no time for L. A. or for pleasure.”

As sixth in the world rankings, Thiem is currently the third-best single-handed player of the tour, and as little as he believes in a real comeback of the one-handed backhand, the chances of a different vocation should be as high. The One-Handed Backhand Boys around Roger Federer, Grigor Dimitrov and Tommy Haas made headlines in Indian Wells a year ago – and after Haas’ resignation there should be a free spot by now. A chance for Thiem? He had to laugh first. He hasn’t gotten an offer yet – and he can’t sing either.”So I hope none of them come,”says the 24-year-old,”that would be too embarrassing.”

Thiem seems to be concentrating entirely on the work in the square. After a walk-through in round one against youngster Stefano Tsitsipas, against whom he won two sets in Doha at the beginning of the year. Pablo Cuevas and Tomas Berdych could wait on the way to the quarter-finals, possibly Roger Federer.

Along with Philipp Petzschner, Thiem will also be playing in doubles via wildcard, the two of them will face Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares in round one.

Click here for the draw in the singles draw, here for the doubles draw.