At the gates of the ATP top 100, Dominic Stricker is fighting to get points and enter directly into the Roland-Garros table. But for that he must win in Biel.
‘I’m not obsessed with it. But the subject is nevertheless present in my head.’ Dominic Stricker’s brain (ATP 118) has been doing all the math for a long time. He lacks a good hundred ATP points to appear in the main draw of Roland-Garros.
The left-hander will try to win them this week at the Biel Challenger, which ensures 100 ATP points for its winner. Seeded No. 1, Dominic Stricker will compete this Tuesday against Kazakh Beibit Zhhukayev (ATP 343). If he were to fail in Biel, he would have one last chance next week in Lille.
‘I know what awaits me, he explains. I know anyone can beat anyone in a Challenger. I also know that I have been playing well since the start of the year. The key is to do it in full possession of your means.’ The Bernese admits, thus, dragging for weeks an inflammation in the foot which notably reduced it ten days ago in the semi-final of the Challenger of Lugano. Like his promotion comrade Leandro Riedi, forced to forfeit the qualifications of the Masters 1000 in Miami due to a stress fracture – the diagnosis must however be refined – the physique is perhaps the worst opponent of Dominic Stricker.
‘I’m ready to go further with Dominic’
In terms of tennis, the 2020 Roland-Garros junior champion has everyone’s vote. Swiss Tennis very quickly believed in his abilities to fully support him for years and two renowned coaches, the German Dieter Kindlmann and the Swede Peter Lundgren, are now helping him. Former mentor of Angelique Kerber, Dieter Kindlmann is her main coach. As for Peter Lundgren, who has worked alongside Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, he is on trial for a third and final week. ‘I’m ready to go further with Dominic,’ he said. He knocks on the door of the top 100. He will also enter it very soon. He must very quickly nurture the ambition to be among the top 50 players in the world.’
This accession in the top 100 is a necessity today. A player insures all his expenses only if he has the insurance to play the four Grand Slam tournaments. But today, Dominic Stricker must pay a main coach and perhaps a luxury freelancer. As for Roger Federer more than twenty years ago, the time has come for Dominic Stricker to strike out on his own without the financial support of Swiss Tennis. ‘Yes, Dominic is becoming his own entrepreneur, underlines the head of elite sport at Swiss Tennis, Alessandro Greco. It’s up to him to reward his coaches now. But Swiss Tennis will always be at his side to offer him, if he wishes, a hand in the field of physical training in particular.’
An assimilated reality
The Bernese has assimilated this economic reality for some time. This is why he made the choice last December to line up in Saudi Arabia in a lucrative exhibition which allowed him to secure his back. ‘This financial question does not bother me. I defined them, he said forcefully. Tennis remains my priority. And I want to believe that the contributions of Dieter Kindlmann and Peter Lundgren will help me to pass levels.’ The first is known. In an ideal world, it will be crossed on Sunday after the Biel Challenger final.
/ATS
