The Aussie tennis star enjoys a rare home time

Thompson, 27, spent nine months on the road last year because it was difficult to return during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I’m getting old enough now, so I don’t think there’s anything new to me, but you understand how hard it is, especially for Australians, to be away all year round,” he said.

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“A couple of guys complained,‘ Oh, I’ve been away for four weeks ’and they’re only an eight-hour flight from home.

Long periods of work abroad are part of the daily lives of Australian tennis players, which is why they value being at home in January and the grand slam in their backyard.

Thompson will join other top-100 Australians Nick Kyrgios and Alexei Popyrin to begin construction of the Australian Open at the Melbourne Summer Set this week.

The second Australian, Chris O’Connell, is Thompson’s first opponent, while former world number one Rafael Nadal leads the field.

Thompson advanced to the third round of the grand slam for the first time last year at Wimbledon, and had the match ball do the same at the US Open before losing in five sets.

Still, World No. 75 described his season as “up and down,” and his form weakened before he won the Covid-19 contract and lost his Davis Cup spot.

After dropping a few pounds with the virus, Thompson is working hard again.

“It’s always hard at the beginning of the year because you don’t know what it feels like to hit the ball,” he said.

“I don’t put too much pressure and expectations on myself, especially in the first weeks of the year. Sometimes it has gone well and… sometimes I have not won a single round. ”

Astra Sharma, who won her virgin WTA championship in Charleston last year, leads the local leadership in the women’s raffle, which features Naomi Osaka.

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