Interview with Tennis Reporter Matthias Stach : as Long as I don't embarrass myself...

Mr Stach, as you prepare for a tournament like the Australian Open?

for example, I am in preparation for training the player to the store. Also, I'm on the phone a lot, often with the coaches. To travel with a certain wealth of experience to Australia. There I am then, a few days before the tournament start and have on site the opportunity to inform me.

How you can stay in between the major tournaments up to date? You don't comment on, only Tennis at Eurosport.
I watch as many games as possible and communicate as often as possible with players, coaches or managers. After all these years in the scene it works quite well, to keep in touch. That's why I'm actually always up-to-date.

to what Extent is it an advantage that you can swing the bat very well, and in Tennis, once the world - and European champion, the journalists were?
Oh, the one with the world and European champion, a long time ago. But I do think it has helped me perhaps in the acceptance. That I time with Thomas muster (former world rank list first from Austria, ed.) together double I played in the Tennis League, the Bundesliga, has been around in the scene. And maybe it's also a bit lighter, one or the other Situation. I don't think of it with the own tennis past times as a disadvantage.

Boris Becker and I, we hang for 14 to 16 hours of each other

you are commenting from Melbourne together with Boris Becker. How would you describe your relationship? A drink with you after work for a beer?
We meet, but in a Grand Slam tournament, the days are very long. Since we have each other to hang then 14 to 16 hours. And we know us already for a very long time, ever since my times at the satellite 1. He just loves on Tennis exchange and, therefore, there are many points of contact and the we life.

Boris Becker Yes, not only because of his tennis expertise constantly in the media. You can hide all the other things around him just like that?
in Front of the camera, we hide the automatically. You can't do that. This is a private matter, its a private matter. And the other one is the Job we're doing together and the with the goal of a great sports as well. We have a kind of nonverbal Agreement, and to be quite honest: His private life was also never an issue between us. We are interested in is in two weeks at a Grand slam tournament, then it is only Tennis.

Makes it more fun to comment on a game, alone or with an expert?
This is quite different and can depend on the experts or from the Match itself. And that goes for me also for other sports. I am looking forward to the Tennis to comment re football or Swimming.

Are there with Boris Becker in advance of a private wager on who wins a tournament like the Australian Open?
never. We talk a lot, but we are both so that we will have to wait and see who emerges in the course of the first week of the tournament, as a favourite. Often we are also of the same opinion.

in the Meantime, your work is far beyond the Comment. They also stand much in front of the camera and give the Entertainer. You have to learn as a Journalist, actually, in the first place?
I don't think you have to learn now. Either it makes a fun or not. I was just thinking about whether it makes more sense to go with a Roger Federer, who always has to answer the same questions, something a little different. To go, for example, in his Apartment, or to play a couple of Volleys. This is for the player perhaps even quite interesting. And as long as I don't embarrass myself completely, this is my way. I also have the feeling that the player open a bit.

there Are still players where they bite on granite?
from time to time. Particularly remembered Andy Roddick has stayed with me (a former world rankings first in the USA, ed.). Now that was the kind of man you had to explain, once again, that Europe also exists. The has sheared the relatively little whether or not there is now a Eurosport. But most of them really do, because I'm lucky.

Is the Job of the commentator today easier than in the past?
I think it is more likely to become more difficult for people who are new in the Job as a Tennis commentator. Because everything is similar to how in football screened and standardized. My advantage is that I have observed many players already in the youth. A Novak Djokovic remembers then maybe the fact that I have him peeking, when he was 16.

Curious how 20 years ago

What are you looking forward to the most in terms of the Australian Open?
This is all incredibly exciting this year. Again and again, even when you think you've seen it all. Even if the now my 102. Grand Slam tournament is, as a colleague has calculated, has still never everything. And that's why I'm now as excited as 20 years ago.

What do you think you can trust the Germans hope Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev in this season?
For both, it is very important how you start in Australia. Kerber is feeling I think it is very good, also with your coach Rainer Schüttler. I hope that you simply desire, in the new constellation, perhaps the direction of the French Open close properly fresh. Because the can play on the Sand and get the one your missing Grand-Slam-title, it would be a dream.

And Zverev?
For Sascha (nickname of Alexander Zverev, d. ed.) there is a need to overcome the Grand Slam Allergy. He works hard and I trust him with everything. He is still a young guy, he needs to develop. And has also already done. Just think of the speech in London after the victory at the ATP Finals. The would have thought, two or three years ago nobody.

The Interview was conducted by Jörg Leopold.

Former world rank list first tennis star Andy Murray at the end of

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