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Dominic Thiem has long been regarded as one of the most hard-working players on the tour. And Thiem's coach Nicolas Massu recently reinforced that idea, claiming that the intensity of the Austrian's training sessions is higher than that of most of his peers.
When Dominic Thiem finally broke though to win first Grand Slam at the US Open in September, it was a validation of all the hard work that he and his team had put in for nearly two decades. Even Rafael Nadal, who would top most people's list of the industrious players in the game, stated that Thiem deserved to win the title for being a 'super hard worker'.
Nicolas Massu, who has been working with Thiem since 2019, recently talked about how his ward's rigorous training methods are like a bonus on top of his already abundant natural talent.
"There aren't many guys on the circuit who train with intensity like his every day," Massu said. "And that's why, in addition to his talent, in addition to his intelligent play, in addition to his shots and all this kind of thing, everyone knows his potential."
Massu, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, believes he himself is as passionate about the game as Thiem - which is why they have been able to work very well together.
"I'm very passionate," the Chilean added. "When you connect with a player like Dominic who has the same feeling and trains with great intensity… you don't have to say anything because he is giving the best version of him."
I try to show Dominic Thiem all the time that I'm playing the game with him: Nicolas Massu
Like all coaches, Nicolas Massu is often seen cheering on his player from the stands. The Chilean admitted that he gets extremely involved in Dominic Thiem's matches, even if he is not physically on the court with him.
"I try to show Dominic all the time that I'm playing the game with him," Massu said. “I am not running with him, but I am playing the game with him. I am totally focused on each point."
Dominic Thiem is currently training in Austria ahead of the 2021 season, and plans to leave for Melbourne on 13 January. It is yet to be confirmed whether the World No. 3 will compete in the ATP Cup prior to the Australian Open, which is scheduled to start on 8 February.
Austria is one of the 12 countries that have qualified for the trimmed-down version of the ATP Cup this year.
Having reached the final of the Australian Open last year (where he lost to Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller), Dominic Thiem will be hoping to add a second Grand Slam to his resume in 2021. The Austrian considers winning another Major as a bigger priority than reaching the No. 1 ranking.
