SALZBURG, July 13, 2024
Joel Schwärzler is considered Austria’s greatest tennis talent. The former Junior World No. 1 is now trying to establish himself on the men’s tour. At the Macedonian Open in Skopje, the 18-year-old recorded his first title win on the ATP Challenger Tour. This week, Schwärzler competed at the Salzburg Open. In the first round of the singles competition, the teenager lost to Swiss Marc-Andrea Huesler, but alongside veteran Philipp Oswald, he reached the semifinals in doubles.
We sat down with him for an interview during the tournament.
Tennis TourTalk: What is the significance of doubles for you, and how does it feel to compete with such an experienced partner?
Joel Schwärzler: Of course, I am a singles player, but I also want to progress in doubles and compete in the big tournaments. It’s really cool to play with Ossi. I grew up at the same academy as him. He was the star player there. It’s fun to play the tournaments with him before his farewell in Kitzbühel.
You also won the doubles title at the junior tournament of the French Open. What are the biggest challenges during the transition to senior’s level?
Winning many matches. The top juniors are at least on the same level as Futures and Challenger players and can beat anyone on a good day. The big challenge is to perform at that level every day. I’ve managed to do that once so far, winning my first Challenger tournament in Skopje. However, it was not the strongest field there. It’s difficult to consistently find your level.
How would you rate your season so far?
I didn’t start the year well. I had three bad weeks on the Futures Tour, where I wasn’t mentally present either. Things started to improve when I switched to clay. I won several matches and played a final in Antalya. Then I flew to America and got my first match wins on the Challenger Tour. Overall, my level was very good in those tournaments, which helped me improve. At the Challenger in Mauthausen, I reached the quarterfinals, and then came the tournament victory in North Macedonia. However, I am still far from my goal of winning many tournaments, including on the ATP Tour. I am not yet where I want to be.
What are your goals?
To reach the top 30.
In what time frame?
I am doing my best to reach the goal as soon as possible so I can go even further. However, if at the end of my career, I am told that I was a consistent top 50 or top 30 player, that would still be quite an achievement.
In Tallahassee, you reached your first Challenger Tour quarterfinal. How was your experience during the clay swing in the United States?
It was great because it was three weeks in a row. I like playing on green clay and enjoy the atmosphere at the tournaments. I like the country and feel very comfortable in the U.S. Everything feels very relaxed there, and I hope to compete there again next year.
You were born and raised in South Africa. How has that influenced you?
My entire maternal family still lives there. I lived there for seven years, went to school there, and speak the language. Tennis-wise, it hasn’t influenced me because I only really started playing in Austria. However, I am half South African since I spent almost half of my life there so far. I come from a sporty family, which is very important to me. Tennis is not the main sport in South Africa. It’s more about rugby and cricket, where they are very successful. After Kevin Anderson retired, there aren’t many top players besides Lloyd Harris. I hope more players from South Africa will come up, and the sport will grow there again.
Your first participation in the Austrian Championships didn’t go well, as you had to retire in your opening match. Can you explain how you felt there?
I wasn’t feeling well the day before my match. I could train and had prepared, thinking it would work out and didn’t want to withdraw. During the warm-up, I felt my heart rate increasing and decided to stop the match, take a break, and prepare for Salzburg.
At the Salzburg Open, you lost to Marc-Andrea Huesler in the first round of singles. Were you still feeling unwell?
I noticed that the long rallies were tough for me. I did my best, but it wasn’t enough. However, things went better in doubles, and aside from a bit of a cold, everything is fine now.
Your coach Jürgen Melzer is here in Salzburg. How is your collaboration going?
We have a similar playing style, which helps. He has been through it all. What’s important for both of us is that he is not just my coach but also my friend. I enjoy working with him a lot. Of course, there are bad days (laughs). But overall, it fits very well. There is still a lot to improve, especially in service and backhand. We are working on all elements. It’s important to find a good balance.
How would you describe your playing style?
Versatile and aggressive.
Tennis players have to travel a lot. How do you cope with this situation, and how helpful is it to have someone by your side?
Without a traveling coach, it would be much harder. I’m happy to train at the Austrian Tennis Federation (ÖTV) and that they provide me with a coach. Financially, things are going well thanks to sponsors, so I don’t have the pressure many other players at this level have. But if I don’t move forward, it could be the same for me.
Do you like to visit the cities where the tournaments take place?
Generally, I like to see the cities without doing hours of sightseeing. I hate walking around. There’s nothing worse for me. For example, in Milan, we enjoyed going into the city for dinner in the evenings. It’s important to me to experience things off the tennis court as well.
What are your hobbies?
I like playing golf and football, but I also enjoy spending an afternoon on the couch watching a series or meeting up with family and friends.
Did you follow the European Football Championship?
I’m generally interested in sports. Ossi and I watched the last few days together. Austria had good chances to progress. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but overall, it was a good tournament for the team.
You also attended the Formula 1 race in Spielberg?
It was my first time there and a great experience to see how many team members support the drivers and what work they do. I’m a big Formula 1 fan and will make sure to reserve my tickets for next year as soon as possible.
Are you someone who likes driving fast cars yourself?
I’m interested in cars, and if I’m in a financial position to do so, I will definitely get myself a nice car.
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You mentioned the pressure earlier. How do you handle the expectations placed on you, especially after the end of Dominic Thiem’s career?
It’s a lot of pressure. The focus is on me right now, even though there are other good young Austrians like Lukas Neumayer or Nico Hipfl. We have a very good relationship, and I hope they continue to do well.
Does this negatively affect you in any way?
Besides external pressure, I also expect a lot from myself. If I didn’t have pressure and people who believe in me, it wouldn’t be optimal either. It’s important, and every player feels it.
How does your schedule look like for the upcoming weeks?
I’m preparing for Kitzbühel, then I’ll play a Challenger in Liberec.
Thank you and good luck.
Interview: Florian Heer
