At some point, Daniel Altmaier had already reported a lot about his next impressive victory and retold half his life, because he is still a stranger to so many, so he raised his right arm. He was just describing how he had been in Argentina in preparation for this season, in Buenos Aires, with his Argentinian coach Francisco Yunis, who was once number 61 in the world rankings as a player. Altmaier had himself checked through for 14 days, playfully, but not only. Also from three fitness coaches there and his own, which he brought with him and who specializes in osteopathy. “We can only manage 90 degrees in the stretched position,” said Altmaier, and journalists from Germany and other, even more distant countries listened via video switch. He raised his left arm – “maybe only 80 degrees. And we wrote it all down for my whole body”. For him, something called the “mobility program” was then recorded “to get the best possible out of the body,” he continued.
The tennis world in Paris is now amazed at what this best possible looks like.
Altmaier from Kempen, 22, was unable to play for a long time two years ago due to injuries, who did not know before the qualifying tournament of the French Open whether he would be able to compete due to adductor problems, is now in the round of 16 of the largest clay court tournament there is. After three victories, he was currently number 186 in the world rankings and moved into the main field; he had never played a Grand Slam match before. Then he defeated the experienced Spaniard Feliciano Lopez and the German Davis Cup player Jan-Lennard Struff, whom he previously served as a hitting partner. And on Saturday he finished, it may be pointed out, the number seven seeded Italian Matteo Berrettini, with 6: 2, 7: 6 (5), 6: 4. Again he only needed three sets, like against Lopez and Struff. The last Grand Slam debutant who stormed into the round of 16 was Ulf Stenlund in Paris in 1986.
Many new names are swirling through the tableaus in Paris
Actually, more surprises were expected at the US Open, which ended three weeks ago, the first Grand Slam event since the outbreak of the pandemic. There were rejections, and many shied away from the premiere experience of a bubble, the publicly isolated event in New York. But now significantly more new names are swirling through the tableaus in Paris.
Among the women, for example, the outsider Martina Trevisan threw the often highly traded Greek Maria Sakkari out of the competition; The Italian from Florence was close to tears, she has come a difficult journey, suffered from eating disorders for four years and, once a talent, was unable to reach her full potential. The young Frenchman Hugo Gaston offered a playful and gripping story. The left-hander, who received a wildcard, is also in the last sixteen, thanks to his fine feel for the ball, which he uses for stops, praises and courageous attacks. Stan Wawrinka, 2015 winner in Paris, lost the fifth, decisive set against 0: 6 by surprise. Altmaier, on the other hand, fascinates in his own way, which one could perhaps describe: he thinks and speaks like a manager from Silicon Valley, like an experienced trainer and sometimes like a nice friend. For example, when he repeatedly praises “my team”.
In any case, it seldom happens that a professional from the alleged lowlands of the industry shot onto the stage – and articulates himself so captivatingly and precisely, as if he were giving a presentation around a pitch to CEOs. Incidentally, Altmaier also talked to this species, he said at one point. When he was out for a long time, with shoulder and muscle injuries, he took advantage of the break and talked to all kinds of people. From business, but also from sport, such as Anthony Joshua, the world heavyweight champion in boxing. He was eager to learn how successful people became successful. The pay TV broadcaster Sky sponsored him for a year with a “Sport Scholarship”. That too was a project for both sides.
Last year Altmaier looked for the new trainer, ended up at the renowned management agency Starwing, where his role model is Wawrinka client. Changed doctor, diet and started his career as if he were raising a start-up, with the goal of investing now, breaking even later, making long-term profit. Altmaier, always one of the top talents of the German Tennis Association in his years, was doing gymnastics somewhere outside of the top 200, mind you.
“Playing tennis is a marathon”
A test of his analytical skills – this is how he explained how he managed to complete six matches at the highest level in Paris: “The really good thing is that this is my 16th day on the system. The system is empty. You have A lot of freedom as a player. You don’t have so many eyes on yourself. I was able to have a very, very good routine. Day after day. ” And would he have lost now? “Then we analyze and carry on. Playing tennis is a marathon.”
In the round of 16, which has already brought him 189,000 euros, he meets Pablo Carreño Busta, the Spaniard was just in the semi-finals of the US Open. Altmaier, who with his wide curved one-handed backhand recalls the three-time Roland Garros winner Gustavo Kuerten, often used the word “intensity”, which he wanted to show on the pitch, he was only thinking of himself. He would have hidden Berrettini. After reporting so patiently and clearly about himself, he quickly got to the point about his next appearance: “I’ll keep it short,” said Altmaier: “I won’t give anything to Carreño Busta either.” You can unconditionally believe the new face of this Grand Slam.
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