Re: The Rainer Schuettler Cheering Thread
Courtesy of TennisHack (she's the one taking the pic of Rainer and Fish in Cincy last year)
From the February 17, 2004 print issue of Tennis Week
Fire and Nice
Rainer Schuettler is as surprising off the court as he is successful on it
by Brad Falkner
During matches, Rainer Schuettler is a fiery fist-pumping perfectionist. Off court, he's an almost painfully shy, soft-spoken, good-natured, humorous guy. It's one of the many paradoxes about Germany's No. 1, who improved his year-end ATP Entry ranking for the ninth consecutive season, a record streak among active players.
When shirtless on the practice court, it is clear that Schuettler, 27, is blessed with the kind of physique that you normally find only in shrink-wrapped packages (eg, G.I. Joe, Stretch Armstrong and Superman). But perhaps the most remarkable thing about him is how grounded hehas remained, despite his steady rise to the top, including, in 2003, his first Grand Slam final, his first Tennis Masters Cup appearance, a year-end No. 6 ranking and nearly $2 million in prize money. "I've known Rainer since 1998, and he has not changed even with all of the success that he's had in the world of tennis," declares Andre Antic, editor/writer for Tennis Magazine in Germany.
"Rainer is not the person you see out on the court. Yes, he is a perfectionist, but what really matters is his heart and loyalty to those who surround him," says Dirk Hordorff, who has been Schuettler's manager, coach, confidant and friend since his days as a junior player. Hordorff' sense of humor, knowledge of tennis and fatherly wisdom have plotted the course of Schuettler's success for the past 11 years.
Brad Falkner's conversation with the 2003 Australian Open runner-up began at the 2004 Qatar Exxon Mobil Open.
How has life changed from the days of being a no-name player to being ranked No. 6 in the world?
My coach, physiotherapist, and my friends are the same from before. I've tried to stay in the same environment. What is more difficult is the other people around me have changed. They give more attention to me. Before nobody cared, and now there are so many people that want something. The people around me have changed -- not so much me.
For example my coach, Dirk, we have been working together for 11 years; there's no reason why he should change or I should change. Because we travel the whole year together, so we know each other pretty well.
Hordorff: "What has changed is that an American magazine is now making an interview with you in Doha. When he won this tournament in '99, no US journalist wanted to do an interview."(Laughter)
How do you handle being a celebrity?
I don't mind it. I don't want to change my life to be in the spotlight. I don't want to be involved in any scandal. I want to have my private life. I had a long-time girlfriend. After we broke up, I started to play better. It sounds kind of mean, but now I have more time to focus only on my tennis. After Australia [in 2003] I thought, "Now I have the chance of my life to get Top 10." That's what I did, and now I'm more successful. The point is that when I don't have a girlfriend, I don't have to feel bad or worry about her if my whole day and night is consumed with tennis. I don't have to compromise. I can focus everything on tennis. If I did meet somebody and fall in love, its not like I wouldn't do it. If I fall in love with somebody and it just happens, there is nothing I can do about it, and I would not force myself to avoid this. For now, I'm happy to just concentrate on my tennis. If you're well known and you go somewhere, there are some women who are crazy about tennis.
How would you classify yourself as a play; is there any particular playing style that you fit into?
I play aggressive from the baseline. Maybe my serve is not as strong as I would like it to be. The rest of my game is improving and improving. Even my serve is getting better and better, but its not exactly how I want it to be. I don't think that I have a real weakness. I think that I'm pretty fast. I don't think that I'm the fastest, but that's my strength, that I reach a lot of balls. I have an all-around game. I don't think that I am a counter-puncher because I try to play aggressively from the baseline. I don't try to win my points by the mistakes of my opponents. I don't think that you can be Top 10 these days without weapons. If its not a slow surface, I will try to work my way into the net.
You went 3-0 this past year against world No. 1 Andy Roddick. How do you explain your success playing against him?
One of my strengths is my return of serve. So I like to play against big servers. His game is set up on his serve and huge forehand. In the last matches we played, I was able to return his serve, and I was able to stay in the point and rally, which is my strength. His game plays into my strengths. I always play good against players who like to attach and play aggressive.
There were some less than positive comments made from some of the non-US players at the 2003 Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, where you got to the semis. Can you talk about how you felt?
When you read the first day in the newspapers that the tournament owner doesn't care about the other players, just about Agassi and Roddick, it's a little strange. I mean, they are the best eight players in the world, and I think that he (Jim McIngvale) should show respect for all of the players. That's my opinion; I think he should be fair to everybody. If we are complaining about something we don't like, I think he should listen.
con'd