He had to live up to the legacy of compatriot Boris Becker but Rainer Schuettler made sure the pressure never got to him. A one-time Australian Open finalist and Wimbledon semifinalist, the 33-year-old German tells DNA about his plans for 2010 and much more. Read on…
You have been a veteran at the Chennai Open. What is that keeps bringing you back to this tournament?
I have played very well here and the people here have been treating me very nicely. I feel happy to come back to tournaments where I am welcomed whole-heartedly.
Does last year’s semifinal pull-out (due to an injury) rankle in the mind?
Yes, it is unfortunate that I had to pull out due to injury. I was playing very well and was excited to get on court as I had won some matches. But as I have always said you can’t do anything about it.
Could you sum up your career?
It is generally been pretty good except for injuries and stuff like that which is common for every player. Some years — 2002, 2003 and 2008 — were very good and I’m happy with what I have achieved.
What tournaments are you planning to play in 2010?
I’ll be playing in the Australian Open and then go to Zagreb (February 1 to 7). My main goal is to stay healthy and earn more and more ranking points. I want to play better than I did in 2009 and I’m not setting any targets as such.
What do you expect here?
I would like to win my first-round game. I’m feeling fit and good. And when you come back after a break, the first-round hurdle is always difficult to clear as every player will have something good to offer. All of them will be coming out of a break and hoping to do well.
What would have you been if you weren’t a tennis player?
I would have been a soccer player. I started playing soccer first when I was about four or five. I started playing tennis when I was around 10 and had to make a decision. I decided to pursue tennis as a career and so far feel that it was not the worst of decisions (laughs).
What would like to do after calling it a day?
First of all, it is important for me to stay healthy and for my family to stay healthy. I would like to stay closely connected with my family and friends. On Tour, you see it is difficult to keep in touch with family and friends. Afterwards, I would surely like to think of going back to school to study marketing management either in London (London School of Economics), Paris or Germany.
