Everything in Daniel Altmaier’s life revolves round his profession. Because for the 23-year-old soccer participant, just one factor is necessary: he desires to win the Grand Slam title.
Monday afternoon, 2:30 p.m. Daniel Altmaier arrives for an interview with Tennis MAGAZIN at Rothenbaum in Hamburg in a lightweight shirt, shorts and flip-flops. Amid thunderous applause and bulletins from the stadium announcer, he takes a seat in the stadium’s folding chairs. The 23-year-old appears fully relaxed. It is totally completely different from the sphere.
If the native of Kempen enters the court docket, in the tunnel. Totally centered – on himself, his opponent and the yellow felt ball. “I’m formidable, I do not wish to lose, and I do not wish to make errors that I should not,” says Altmeier. You can inform straight away: He is enthusiastic about sports activities, he desires to win, he desires to achieve the highest.
Daniel Altmaier: “I knew I had what it takes to be knowledgeable”
He observed early that he had a superb background. At the age of six, Altmaier started a culinary course at TuS St. Hubert in his hometown of Kempen. “I fell in love with tennis slightly bit,” he says. He spent a 12 months in the rookie group earlier than beginning common coaching. Four years later, in 2008, he gained the German Under-10 Championship. “The finest German gamers met there. I’ve by no means performed in such an enormous match earlier than. After successful, I wished to be a tennis participant,” she says, her eyes nonetheless shining.
The depth of coaching elevated from one hour to 2 hours per week: abruptly he was on the court docket 5 or 6 instances. He additionally performed handball – a staff sport to steadiness issues out. “At one level it was too intense for the physique,” says Altmaier, explaining his choice to focus totally on tennis. With the yellow felt ball the principle goal, Altmeier switched colleges in ninth grade to get extra observe.
Top expertise: Altmaier joined the skilled tour at age 15.
At the age of 15, he entered the skilled tour. “That’s once I skilled what it was wish to earn cash, be financially accountable and journey,” he says. He earned his first ATP level that 12 months, his first Future Tour victory a couple of 12 months later, and in 2016, on the age of 17, he broke into the highest 300 in the world rankings. “That’s once I knew I had an opportunity to go professional,” Altmeier says.
Daniel Altmaier: Good luck with accidents
But as rapidly because it rose, it slowed down. Abdominal, shoulder and joint accidents threw him again. He needed to miss your entire 2018 season and was not ranked among the many prime 500 gamers on tour at instances.
As he recovers from his accidents and tries to get again into form, the right-hander has modified his coaching floor. “I constructed my staff in Argentina,” he says. In addition to coach Francisco Yunis, who took care of Magnus Norman, Altmeier’s health and bodily remedy coaches are additionally based mostly in South America. “Argentina is completely different from Germany. Work is extra necessary there. This additionally modified my sport,” he analyzed. He usually trains with gamers corresponding to Francisco Cerundolo and Sebastian Baez. At tournaments, they share a health coach. “We give one another quite a bit of power, we push one another,” Altmaier says of his relationship with the Argentine execs.
After an harm drought, his return got here in 2020. As a qualifier, he reached the spherical of 16 on the French Open, defeating German quantity two Jan-Lennard Struff and prime ten participant Matteo Berrettini alongside the best way. There have been additionally two semi-finals on the ATP tournaments in Umag and Kitzbühel and three Challenger wins on the finish of 2021. The consequence: breaking into the highest 100 for the primary time and safely qualifying for the Grand Slams. “Since breaking into the highest 100, I’ve had a extra constant schedule and may plan higher for the 12 months,” says Altmaier. And now he’s financially unbiased.
“At the second, my goal shouldn’t be to save cash or increase my wage,” he defined about how he offers with cash. “I’m investing in my profession, my coach, my health and bodily remedy coaches. First of all, I need to construct a basis with a superb staff that I can profit from in the years to return.”
Daniel Altmaier: Boundless Ambition
A place in the highest 100 shouldn’t be sufficient for him. He desires to maneuver up, thinks large and plans his profession right down to the final element. “What occurred on the Challenger Tour ought to now occur on the ATP Tour. I’ve to win 5 matches at a excessive stage, I’ve to discover a week the place every little thing suits collectively,” he insists to himself. “I would like that feeling of accomplishment to really feel what it is wish to win a match. Then I can calmly strategy and play freely.”
Full of physicality: Altmaier is understood for his aggressive and shifty type of play.
When the German talks about his plans and ideas, his ambition is evident. No. 53 was his highest rating in May of this 12 months. At instances he was the second German skilled, however now his pal Oskar Otte has resumed this place. “When I used to be younger, I fought with Rudy Molleker, now I can combat with Oscar,” he smiled. But in the long term, he desires extra. “At some level, I need to meet up with Zverev,” he says. “The advantage of tennis is {that a} good week or two is sufficient to enhance,” he laughed.
Daniel Altmaier: Fishing as compensation
Despite his boundless ambition, Altmaier is aware of how necessary it’s to take time without work from coaching and matches. His favourite factor to do is go fishing along with his father in the Netherlands. “I fully shut down. I’m standing by the water with my dad and we’re having a superb dialog and simply having enjoyable.” On the one hand, he feels that he has returned to his childhood: “Today I’ve the identical expectations as when my father stated we might go fishing. Sunday stroll. I sit up for all of it week,” he laughs. But he’s additionally enthusiastic about basketball and American soccer. “My girlfriend’s household took me to Las Vegas final 12 months to see the Raiders. Once you perceive the game, it is extremely thrilling, whilst an outsider,” he says.
Altmeier’s on-line world: Altmeier sometimes provides a glimpse into her private life to her almost 11,000 Instagram followers.
If you have a look at the German’s profession, you’ll perceive how nicely every little thing is structured. But who made the choice to pursue a profession as knowledgeable participant after they have been too younger to make the choice? “It got here from my ardour. It was virtually a household choice,” Altmaier says. His dad and mom have been additionally an enormous supporter financially, by which Altmaier discovered an early backing investor. “My dad and mom did every little thing till I used to be 14 years outdated. But in addition they formed me as an individual,” he says thoughtfully.
Daniel Altmaier: ‘Want to win a Grand Slam’
This is one of “Private Daniel’s” shining moments. While tennis is the main focus of the 23-year-old’s life, he has much more on his thoughts. How does humanity evolve? What excites folks? “I’m in how the world is growing,” he says. He desires to know what’s going to occur in the following few years. After all, Altmaier, in contrast to many different gamers, doesn’t plan to work as a coach or supervisor after his profession. He desires to be extra concerned in making a distinction in the world – however he would not know in what space. “Being a tennis participant till a sure age might be my dream job. But I can think about doing one thing else after my profession. In any case, I’ll by no means cease working and I’ll by no means retire.”
But the tip of his profession ought to be removed from over for the 23-year-old. “I set a goal to be in the highest 50 international locations by the tip of the 12 months, that is true. “The prime 32 athletes could be splendid for a Grand Slam,” says Altmaier. In the tip, he confidently says one thing shocking for a participant in his class: “I need to win a Grand Slam.” I’ll do every little thing for it. I feel I’ll obtain this goal.” ◯
Stadium discuss: Altmaier (centre) in dialog with tM editors Christian Albrecht Barschel and Franziska Brühls.
Profile of Daniel Altmaier
Date of delivery: 12.09.1998
dimension: 1.88 meters
Origin: Kemp
Degree: 79 (as of August 1, 2022)
Highest rank: 53 (23.05.2022)
Best ATP Result: Umag vs Kitzbühel 2021 semi-final
Grand Slam Top Result: sixteenth spherical of the French Open 2020
Name: 9 Future Titles, 4 Challenger Titles
Trainers: Francisco Yunis