Dominic Thiem's schedule 2017

[Moxie]

I didn't catch everything they put up on Tennis Channel during his match right now with Sam Groth, but it seems very loaded. They mentioned that he played 121 matches last year...more than any other top 10 player. Seems like his next few weeks look something like this:

Brisbane
Sydney?
AO
Sophia
Acapulco?
Indian Wells
Miami

Thiem, like Rafa, says he likes match play to get his rhythm and confidence, but he was criticized last year for maybe playing too much. Is he in danger of doing it again? For someone who is considered to threaten most on clay, is he overloading before the clay season? Thoughts?

 

[britbox]

Thiem looked burnt out by the middle of the year last year. Not surprising considering...

Upto Roland Garros he played:

Brisbane
Sydney
AO
Buenos Aires
Rio
Acapulco
Davis Cup
Indian Wells
Miami
Monte Carlo
Munich
Madrid
Rome
Nice

Hectic, but perhaps the biggest factor was that he was going deep in quite a few of these.

 

[Billie]

He'll be toast again in the middle of the year if he keeps going like last year. The scheduling has become almost as important as their forehands, or serve.

 

[Moxie]

He'll be toast again in the middle of the year if he keeps going like last year. The scheduling has become almost as important as their forehands, or serve.

I agree. Last year, he might not have expected to go as deep in tournaments as he did, since he was breaking through. This year, he should expect to. I really think he's compromising his AO by playing Sydney. Maybe he'll bow out of some tournaments going forward, with the infamous fake doctor's note. I hope so. He should figure he's on-track to a good clay season if he doesn't burn out before. (OK, as a Nadal fan, maybe I should let him just be his own worst enemy, though.)

 

[Billie]

I agree. Last year, he might not have expected to go as deep in tournaments as he did, since he was breaking through. This year, he should expect to. I really think he's compromising his AO by playing Sydney. Maybe he'll bow out of some tournaments going forward, with the infamous fake doctor's note. I hope so. He should figure he's on-track to a good clay season if he doesn't burn out before. (OK, as a Nadal fan, maybe I should let him just be his own worst enemy, though.)

We'll see. Maybe he will drop from some of these tournaments or lose early. Imagine he goes all the way in Australia and refutes us both.:lulz2:

 

[Moxie]

Good one...but then he'd still be an idiot if he didn't rethink his calendar. Here's an example close to my heart: 2009 Rafa played a brutal SF v. Verdasco, then beat Roger in the AO final in 5 sets. He'd already bowed out of DC the Dec. before because of his knees. Right after the AO, he went to Rotterdam, because he'd committed. Made the final, v. Murray, but couldn't even move to the ball by the 3rd set, because of his knees. The parade to the end of his knees wasn't quick, but ended at RG. And they're a problem to this day. Playing Rotterdam was stupid. Thiem may not get injured, but he's already shown he can get burnt out. He has to get smart about his schedule, or he's going to lose the Big Picture for the short-term gain. IMHO.

 

[isabelle]

He'll be toast again in the middle of the year if he keeps going like last year. The scheduling has become almost as important as their forehands, or serve.

agree with you, he has to learn his lesson