interview
DTB head Dietloff von Arnim needs to change into the president of the ITF world tennis affiliation – in an interview with Sportschau, he talks about his concepts, the Davis Cup match in opposition to Alexander Zverev and Switzerland.
Dietloff von Arnim has been the head of the German Tennis Association since the starting of 2021, however he needs to go one stage larger and change into the president of the ITF World Tennis Association. For that, he needed to substitute the incumbent David Haggerty from the US at the Congress in Cancun, Mexico in September. In an interview with Sportschau, he talks about his views, the massive hole behind Alexander Zverev and the upcoming Davis Cup opener in opposition to Switzerland.
Sportschau: Mr. von Arnim, you might be working for the presidency of the ITF World Tennis Association – why?
“At the finish of final summer season, a number of nationwide associations requested me if I might think about working for workplace. I considered it for some time after which I stated sure as a result of I believe the ITF and tennis generally might be accomplished higher. “
What do you imply by that?
“These are the first precedence points, event uniforms, scoring, international illustration, communication with giant and small nationwide associations, staff competitions. talks.”
Are the ATP and WTA too robust as gamers’ unions and as ITF president do you need to change that?
“For me, it isn’t about energy. In truth: there are all the time many voices on the stage from the Grand Slams, the ATP, the WTA. But now you want somebody to speak for tennis round the world. It must be the ITF.”
Are you trying to do double obligation as Acting President of the German Tennis Association, or is just one attainable?
“Of course, just one job is feasible. The ITF rejects twin roles, and that is proper.”
You have been the head of DTB for two years. What is your private steadiness, what did you modify?
“Unlike different sports activities, we have been capable of enhance the variety of contributors in German tennis by roughly 5 % per yr throughout the Corona interval. It exhibits that tennis is alive.”
In the skilled sector, on the different hand, the state of affairs now seems to be very unhealthy. At the current Australian Open, there have been no Germans left in singles in the second week of the event. No one is extra constantly represented at world stage than Alexander Zverev. What is unsuitable with selling younger expertise, why is it so usually troublesome to progress from junior to senior stage?
“You’re proper. A yr and a half in the past at the US Open, there have been 4 Germans in the final 16. But total, the Australian Open isn’t a slide, it additionally displays the world rating – that is the place we’re. Too far behind Zverev.”
Why and what are you doing about it?
“Snapshot is the results of assist launched eight or ten years in the past. We have modified a number of issues now, however it could bear fruit in the future. A concrete instance: we assist excessive abilities a lot earlier. We go to the ministries of schooling of the federal states to supply extra flexibility and digital educating to gifted folks. , as a result of as a way to compete at a excessive stage in tennis, it’s good to go to worldwide tournaments early – 5 days off One faculty yr isn’t sufficient for this. I’ll take the circus stage for comparability, particularly there are lecturers assigned to the household of showmen – I can think about it in excessive stage tennis as nicely. But as I stated , digital studying alternatives could be notably necessary.”
Team occasions are the place the Germans all the time impress. Now that Davis Cup has been lower from its essential sponsor – is it forward of an enormous conventional occasion?
“I do not suppose so, however on the one hand we want financiers who perceive the staff occasions in tennis nicely. On the different hand, we want to consider adjustments. So far, what I’ve heard from many international locations is that the prime tennis competitions additionally need to go to smaller international locations. We have a number of massive tournaments in Germany, however Denmark and Norway, for instance, has world-class gamers, however there are not any appropriate occasions to entertain folks there anymore, so the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup could be a superb sport, each dwelling and away – once more this weekend in Trier in opposition to Switzerland it is like we’re taking part in a sport.”
Switzerland include 37-yr-outdated Stan Wawrinka – is Germany the clear favorite?
“No. Be cautious: Wawrinka continues to be a category participant, I noticed Marc-Andrea Hulser myself at the Australian Open, he can carry out in singles and doubles. It will probably be 5 attention-grabbing matches, now we have to be very cautious.”
Russia and Belarus have been disqualified from the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup due to their struggle of aggression in opposition to Ukraine. Wimbledon organizers additionally banned athletes from Russia and Belarus. And the ATP and WTA are taking the reverse tack and even slapped a hefty nice on Wimbledon – what’s your tackle this battle?
“My place is obvious: we should enable the athletes of those international locations to play with out flags, however not the groups. Therefore, I believe it’s proper that Russia and Belarus should be excluded from the tennis Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.”
Will you’ve opponents once you run for workplace in September?
“Yes, the present president David Haggerty He needs to compete once more from the USA. Let’s look.”
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