Three tournaments
Timetable: Thiem returns to the Challenger Tour
While the top stars in the USA are fighting for big ATP points and prize money at the "Sunshine Double" in Indian Wells and Miami these days, Dominic Thiem is baking smaller buns. He is returning to Challenger level. After a training phase of around three weeks, including this week at the Rafael Nadal Academy on Mallorca, the former world number three will play the tournaments in Szekesfehervar, Zadar and Napoli from Monday. Thiem's new touring coach is a source of mystery.
Thiem has not played a match on the ATP Tour since his five-set defeat in the first round of the Australian Open on January 15 against Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN). And an exact timetable for his return is not yet known. However, he will probably be back on the big stage in April.
Mystery surrounding new touring coach
It is also still unclear who Thiem's new touring coach will be. After parting ways with Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh, father Wolfgang is once again the main coach and will remain so. The new man will accompany Thiem to the tournaments. His manager and brother Moritz Thiem also kept a low profile when asked by the APA-Austria Press Agency on Friday, although the position has been filled. The new man at the side of the former world number three will probably be seen in Hungary at the latest.
Last attempt towards the world top
Regardless of this, it could now be Thiem's last attempt at the top of the tennis world, as he himself bluntly revealed at a media event at the end of January on Lake Attersee. "I see this as my last chance. If I make it, it can happen quickly," Thiem said at the time. Thiem doesn't want to put up with a ranking around position 100 and the associated trepidation about participating even in ATP250 tournaments for much longer.
Top 50 the goal for the year
His firm goal for 2024 is to return to the top 50. "If I finish the year at 100 again, you have to think about whether it's still worth it," was the most surprising statement at Attersee. In April, a total of 135 of his 655 points will be dropped from his ranking. Thiem can score full points until mid-April.
However, Thiem had to painfully learn several times last year that this is no "gmahde Wiesn" even at Challenger level. In five Challenger appearances, he only made it to the semi-finals in Mauthausen, and in the other four he had to make it to the second round at the latest.
The ATP has five Challenger categories in which the winners can win 175, 125, 100, 75 or 50 points. Thiem is now playing two 75s and a 125 in Naples, so in the best-case scenario he could score 275 points, which would lift him into the top 60.
In contrast to the ATP Tour, where since this year more points have been awarded in all rounds except for the title, fewer points are now awarded at Challenger level apart from the winner. This was decided by the ATP to ensure a fairer distribution.
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