Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem has hired Benito Pérez Barbadillo as his new PR director. Barbadillo worked with 20-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the past but left the Serb to join Rafael Nadal. Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion, has parted ways with Lucas Leitner and added Barbadillo to his PR team.
“We don’t want to change Dominic, we want to show the world what he is like, on and off the pitch. He must become a world figure,” said Barbadillo. Thiem has delayed his long-awaited return a couple of times. After withdrawing from four tournaments in South America, Thiem set the Indian Wells Masters as his comeback target.
Just days before the start of the event, Thiem announced his withdrawal from Indian Wells and Miami. In his place, Thiem plans to return during the clay season. “I’ve had really good weeks of training,” Thiem said before the start of Indian Wells.
“The wrist is perfectly fine, the hand is getting better and better, but I’ve still decided to pull out of Indian Wells and Miami to start the clay court season. It’s still the surface I’m most comfortable on, so it’s time perfect to start there.
I would have liked to play in the United States. I feel very sorry for my fans. The last time I played here, in Indian Wells, I won the tournament [in 2019]. I love playing in the United States and I’m looking forward to coming back soon.”
Paul Annacone comments on Nadal
Tennis coach and commentator Paul Annacone heaped praise on Rafael Nadal in a recent interview, remarking that the Spaniard’s mind was like “a computer.” Astounded by the speed with which Nadal processed information on the court, the American had no qualms about declaring that the Spaniard’s problem-solving skills are second to none in the history of the sport.
“Rafael Nadal’s mind is like a computer. He tries to figure everything out,” Annacone said. “He is one of the best, if not the best, players to ever play that can see through motion on the tennis court to make good decisions.
It’s tough to do. It’s been so much fun to watch Rafa problem solve and find different ways to get through matches. He hasn’t played spectacularly here. He’s serving bigger. He had 10 aces to seven double faults [against Nick Kyrgios], he is trying to get some more free points,” Annacone said.
“Look at his winners to unforced errors ratio (30:35) – that is atypical for him but it has been a tournament where he has had so many styles to play against.”
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