Tournament director in Indian Wells: Tommy Haas – “Zverev bleeds for victories”

The “Fifth Grand Slam” is the name of the Tennis Masters tournament in Indian Wells, California. The former German world-class player Tommy Haas is tournament director there. In the exclusive Sportschau interview, he talks about his love for tennis, about Alexander Zverev, the most popular tournament of the year and what Germans can learn from Americans.

Tennis doubles legends Bob and Mike Bryan recently shared: “Tommy Haas has never had a day off from tennis in his life.” Is that correct?

Haas: I would rather say it’s the other way around! They’re everywhere! (Laughs) But no, of course, a lot of my life still revolves around tennis, whether it’s the Legends Tour, where I get involved and where I play, or the Grand Slams, to which I’m invited again and again . It’s not like tennis is on my mind all the time. But when my children are at school, I love going to the tennis court, because that’s where I still love to be.

You have been Tournament Director of the Masters in Indian Wells for five years now, what exactly does a Tournament Director do?

Haas: Above all, you have to talk to the players a lot, we have a huge field here with men and women, singles and doubles, the game planning is really a challenge. And of course you always look at how you can make your tournament even more attractive. We’ve been voted the most popular Masters tournament of the year by players for the eighth year in a row, which is both an honor and an incentive. That the players feel comfortable here and do their best. And of course it’s about entertaining the viewers. The Bryan brothers – there they are again (laughs) – make music with their band, we play a new show tournament called “Dingles”, a mixture of doubles and singles, so doubles and singles, you can test racquets, great eat, so there is something going on everywhere.

You have lived in America since you were a child, what connections do you still have to German tennis, are there exchanges with players or the DTB?

Haas: Not really, no. I wasn’t really asked if I’d like to help out, for example in the youth department. I’ve been here in America for most of the time, but I’m in Germany every year during the tennis season, and between May and August I play in the Ü-30 Bundesliga at TC Großhesselohe in Munich, perhaps the most beautiful club in all of Germany.

As someone who looks at tennis from both sides, what explanation do you have for the fact that as of today there are nine Americans in the top 50 but only one German?

Haas: On the one hand, that’s certainly something periodic. In America, after Andy Roddick, we also had a dry spell. On the other hand, it’s something group dynamic. Taylor Fritz who won here last year, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe and so on. They are all about the same age, some are friends, they push each other. I think that’s missing a bit in Germany at the moment. There is currently too big a gap between Alexander Zverev and Oscar Otte as second best. But who cares, Oscar is doing the best he can, it might not make the top ten, but hey, he’s a tennis pro! He’s living his dream! So you can always see it this way and that way.

In any case, it can’t be due to a lack of talent, tennis is the sport with the third most members in Germany after football and gymnastics…

Haas: In the end it’s up to you. You have to look in the mirror and ask yourself: how much do I want to be a professional? How do I build my team, my environment? Am I ready to leave my home or am I too homesick? When you see Sascha Zverev warming up, training, the boy wants to win! He bleeds for victories! And that’s the difference. Not only does he have the body and the talent, he’s also damn strong HERE (taps his temple). Here in America they naturally have this positivity: ‘Hey, you’re great, amazing, you’ll do it!’ Unfortunately, the Germans don’t have that at all, it’s all too easy to slip into the negative. It just needs a better balance.

Alexander Zverev is fighting his way back to his old strength after a serious injury, now also in Indian Wells. If anyone has experience with comebacks, it’s you. How do you rate Zverev’s progress?

Haas: I think the last tournament in Dubai was good for him. Just winning a few games in a row is very important, especially mentally. That he realizes in his head: ‘I’m back!’ See Dominic Thiem. He made his comeback almost a year ago and is still struggling to this day! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for both of them in Indian Wells.

Frank Meyer conducted the interview.