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 seems to be utterly relaxed. It is totally totally different from the sphere.
If the native of Kempen enters the courtroom, in the tunnel. Totally targeted – 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 immediately: He is enthusiastic about sports activities, he desires to win, he desires to succeed in the highest.
Daniel Altmaier: “I knew I had what it takes to be an expert”
He seen early that he had a great 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 somewhat bit,” he says. He spent a 12 months in the rookie group earlier than beginning common coaching. Four years later, in 2008, he received the German Under-10 Championship. “The finest German gamers met there. I’ve by no means performed in such a giant 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: all of the sudden he was on the courtroom 5 – 6 occasions. He additionally performed handball – a workforce sport to steadiness issues out. “At one level it was too intense for the physique,” says Altmaier, explaining his determination to focus completely on tennis. With the yellow felt ball the primary goal, Altmeier switched colleges in ninth grade to get extra follow.
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 become profitable, 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 shortly because it rose, it slowed down. Abdominal, shoulder and joint accidents threw him again. He needed to miss all the 2018 season and was not ranked among the many prime 500 gamers on tour at occasions.
As he recovers from his accidents and tries to get again into form, the right-hander has modified his coaching floor. “I constructed my workforce 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 primarily based in South America. “Argentina is totally different from Germany. Work is extra necessary there. This additionally modified my recreation,” he analyzed. He typically trains with gamers equivalent to Francisco Cerundolo and Sebastian Baez. At tournaments, they share a health coach. “We give one another loads of power, we push one another,” Altmaier says of his relationship with the Argentine execs.
After an damage 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 way in which. 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 end result: 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 impartial.
“At the second, my goal isn’t to economize or elevate 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 great workforce that I can profit from in the years to return.”
Daniel Altmaier: Boundless Ambition
A place in the highest 100 isn’t 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 part suits collectively,” he insists to himself. “I want that feeling of accomplishment to really feel what it is wish to win a match. Then I can calmly method and play freely.”
Full of physicality: Altmaier is thought 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 occasions he was the second German skilled, however now his good friend 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 day off from coaching and matches. His favourite factor to do is go fishing along with his father in the Netherlands. “I utterly shut down. I’m standing by the water with my dad and we’re having a great 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 mentioned we might go fishing. Sunday stroll. I stay 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 effectively every part is structured. But who made the choice to pursue a profession as an expert participant after they have been too younger to make the choice? “It got here from my ardour. It was virtually a household determination,” Altmaier says. His dad and mom have been additionally a giant supporter financially, via which Altmaier discovered an early backing investor. “My dad and mom did every part 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 creating,” he says. He desires to grasp 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 does not know in what space. “Being a tennis participant till a sure age shall 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 needs to be removed from over for the 23-year-old. “I set a goal to be in the highest 50 nations 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 part for it. I feel I’ll obtain this goal.” ◯
Stadium speak: Altmaier (centre) in dialog with tM editors Christian Albrecht Barschel and Franziska Brühls.
Profile of Daniel Altmaier
Date of beginning: 12.09.1998
measurement: 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