October 29, 2024

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Thiemo de Bakker – a comeback story

Dutch Davis Cup captain Paul Haarhuis called on 29-year-old Thiemo de Bakker to open proceedings against France on Friday.

Despite his ranking of No. 369 being far inferior to the other option, 21-year-old Tallon Greekspoor, Paul Haarhuis chose experience.

And de Bakker came through, defeating world No. 25 Adrian Mannarino (also 29, but making his Davis Cup debut) in straight sets.

It turns out that de Bakker’s back story is dramatic.

The French Tennis Magazine has an eye-opening feature on a man who was the No. 1 junior back in 2006, and seemed headed towards a stellar pro career. He won the Roehampton tuneup (beating Roberto Bautista-Agut in the final) and then, junior Wimbledon that year. He reached the semis of the French Open juniors and, at the beginning of that year, ruled the south American junior clay-court circuit, going 20-1 in singles and doubles in the two big events in Mexico and Costa Rica.

Some of the Tennis Magazine material came from a feature in the Dutch newspaper Volkskrandt, published in June, 2016.

It’s well worth reading (through Google Translate if your French isn’t up to it).

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De Bakker at the French Open in 2010, where he lost in the third round to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France. (Stephanie Myles/Tennis.Life)

By 2010, a few years after his junior triumphs, de Bakker reached the third round at three Grand Slams, and the Barcelona semifinals. He reached No. 40 in the rankings and seemed on his way up.

And then …

Drinking, gambling took its toll

The gist is that de Bakker thought talent would be enough. He could win a Futures event even if he didn’t get to bed until 5 or 6 a.m. after a night of partying.

In retrospect, De Bakker traced his fall to one moment in 2011, when his father died. There had been little contact with the father since his parents divorced eight years before. But it led to his realization that he had more in common with the father he hated (who had a gambling problem, among other issues) than he wanted to admit. 

For years, de Bakker hit the casinos and the online betting sites more than the practice court. And he drank – a lot. He lost tens of thousands of dollars, his coaches, and his girlfriend.

De Bakker would have brief periods when he would start winning matches. And then slide down again. And then, in the last two years, injuries hit, including a shoulder issue that dropped his ranking below No. 600 in the world. 

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DeBakker at the Australian Open in 2012, where he defeated Dustin Brown, 8-6 in the third set, in the first round of qualifying. (Stephanie Myles/Tennis.Life)

His ranking was No. 398 in June, 2012. He jumped back into the top 100 in April, 2013 and fell out of it again that September. After stagnating in the No. 140 range for two years he reached the top 100 again in Nov. 2015. A year later, he was at No. 257. By last July, he was outside the top 600, and he is slowly making his way back.

Throughout it all, de Bakker has been a loyal supporter of Davis Cup. He has played every single year since his debut in 2008.

Last September, as he was toiling down at the Futures level, he defeated Lukas Rosol in four sets in a playoff tie against the Czech Republic, and took No. 59-ranked Jiri Vesely to five sets before finally succumbing. 

This weekend, he had the confidence of his captain against the reigning champion.

At 29, it’s not too late. 

He could be called upon to be the hero if the tie against the French goes to a fifth and deciding rubber, and he faces Richard Gasquet.

But it just shows, once again, that every player has a story. And that those who have a linear path to success at the top level are the exceptions.

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