"I don't want to be considered favourite" - Thiem on Kitzbuhel
ATP
Dominic Thiem has played well in the past couple of weeks, and some consider the Austrian a favorite to win at the Kitzbuhel Open.
Thiem is certainly no stranger to lifting the trophy, with the Austrian last achieving the feat back in 2019. He has often said how much he enjoys playing at events in his home country.
ATP tournaments in his homeland are few and far between, so whenever Thiem does get the chance to play in front of his home crowd, it is a special week of the year for him.
To add to that, the 2020 US Open champion has been finding a purple patch of form in recent weeks, with him gradually finding the level we all know he has.
Due to this, many are pipping the Austrian to claim the crown in the upcoming Kitzbuhel Open. This, together with the fact that Casper Ruud and Matteo Berrettini have both pulled out of the event are all pointing to a potential week to remember for the Austrian.
Thiem, on the other hand, is having none of it. He wanted to make it very clear that he did not want fans and pundits referring to him as a favorite.
"I don't want to be considered the favourite. Of course, this makes it special, but it shouldn't affect what happens on court. I want to put on a good show for the crowds. Paris and the tournaments before that, it wasn't pretty."
He went on to explain in more depth how he is feeling at the moment with regards to his recovery.
''I'm almost back at the level I had before my injury during training. There are still a few things left in the competition. Still week to week I've improved, and I'm feeling good. The first win, something clicked. I've mentally progressed a lot."
