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Dominic Thiem's announcement of his participation at this year's Cincinnati Masters (in New York) and US Open came as no surprise. The Austrian is widely tipped to be Novak Djokovic's biggest challenger at Flushing Meadows this year, with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer both missing from the draw.
After much debate about the safety restrictions at the US Open and the 'bubble' for the players to keep them safe, Dominic Thiem spoke recently about his experience upon arriving in New York.
Cannot even train in the gym till I receive negative test result: Dominic Thiem
As per Kleine Zeitung, the Austrian has touched down in New York and now awaits a negative test result before he can start preparations for his title push at Flushing Meadows.
"We're in this Garden Hotel, that's really nice," said Dominic Thiem. "We have a nice room with a balcony, which is incredibly valuable in New York. Dennis (Novak) is also in the hotel, but we can't see each other yet because we did the test on arrival yesterday and have a blue bracelet."
The blue bracelet indicates that players have been tested for COVID-19, but are yet to be confirmed negative. The USTA and authorities in New York have ramped up testing facilities for players participating in New York, even though the city had just over 600 cases reported on 15th August.
Dominic Thiem also revealed that the players are not permitted to leave their hotel rooms, not even for a training session in the gym, until the bracelet turns green, signalling their negative test result.
"It only changes to green when the negative test result is there. Only then are we allowed to do something. We are only allowed to be in the room now and not even in the gym. The first training is only possible when we are negative," Dominic Thiem added.
The World No. 3 was upbeat about his training before the American hardcourt season, claiming that it took time to build the seriousness required to prepare for a tournament the size of the US Open.
"I trained really well," asserted the Austrian, who was seen training with Jan-Leonard Struff ahead of travelling to New York. "It was really 'zach' (tough) for the first two days. There was no stress for a long time. The last seriousness or the last percent of pressure wasn't there, you really noticed how the training started again."
Dominic Thiem, despite all of the positivity surrounding the season restart, knows that the US Open will not be the same given the severe protective measures amid the pandemic.
"Yes, the security precautions are already very serious. We are 30 miles away from the city, we don't even see the city, the airport was completely empty. Then by car to the main hotel, test there, then to the other hotel, now in the room for 14 hours. For three or four weeks there is only hotel complex and that's it," concluded the Austrian.
