Jürgen Melzer doesn't just want to be sports director in Tokyo. Dominic Thiem is a potential partner.
Jürgen Melzer is a fixed starter at the Olympic Games in Tokyo from July 23rd in two respects. The 39-year-old will be part of the ÖOC delegation in Japan in his role as sports director of the Austrian Tennis Association. But the Lower Austrian is planning to take part in an Olympic tennis tournament for the fourth time in his career.
Melzer has been on his farewell tour for months. He still wants to take the Olympics with him. “I am qualified by my ranking in doubles,” said Melzer on Wednesday at a press conference in the Vienna Marriott Hotel. “I've been training more in the last few weeks – and I'm regularly on the field with the boys. I can still teach them something.”
It is still open with which partner Melzer will compete. A double with Alexander Peya was planned. He is now 40 years old – and has been injured for a long time. “He's fighting,” says Melzer. “But it's getting tight. It has to be pain-free. Slowly something has to go on.”
But Melzer has an attractive alternative: Dominic Thiem. At Melzer's request, he got a clear “yes” from number 4 in the individual world rankings. “I've played with him many times, it always worked well. And with a wink Dominic said: Why shouldn't we win a medal?”
Philipp Oswald / Oliver Marach will most likely start as the second Austrian double in Tokyo.
