"The top 10 from ten years ago was much better than the current one"

Puntodebreak meets with Martin Klizan, a regular of the last decade. After three years retired, during which he ventured into politics, he has returned to the circuit at 35... and he has a great story to tell.

Carlos Navarro | 2 Oct 2024 | 20.07
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Martin Klizan. Source: Bratislava Open
Martin Klizan. Source: Bratislava Open

Six ATP titles. Ranked #24 in the world. Victories over Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Eight years inside the top-50. Anyone reading this list of achievements will picture the career of a great player, a tennis player capable of beating anyone at any given moment. They are not wrong, but our protagonist today can also boast achieving all this during one of the golden eras of our sport... and having, in the eyes of many fans, the potential to have reached even greater heights in his career. This is the case of Martin Klizan (Bratislava, Slovakia, July 11, 1989), who at 35 years old has embarked on a fascinating journey back to the ATP circuit... after three years in retirement.

Why now? Where does the motivation come from to start from scratch after achieving countless successes? I couldn't resist trying to find answers, especially at the Bratislava Open, in the home of someone who had just had an excellent start to the year. In the Slovakian capital, I meet with a fantastic, polite guy, who doesn't hesitate to make time in his schedule while scouting his next opponent. This meeting, which took place three months ago, includes numerous anecdotes within the tight schedule of a Klizan who, make no mistake, still attracts a lot of attention in his home country.

And why is he back in the news? Klizan announced his retirement in 2021 after a successful career where he played outstanding matches. He became the only player on the ATP circuit to have won the first six finals he played (alongside Gulbis; Ugo Humbert joined this record years later). In Spain, many may remember him for his sensational battles against Rafael Nadal, always offering very gritty matches from the baseline against the Spaniard. Klizan was a feared opponent by the best, always competing in important settings - now, three years later, he has embarked on a return journey to his lifelong love, tennis. And it's going quite well for him: in just ten months, he has gone from having no ranking to being part of the top 350, including four titles on two different surfaces. These are the reflections of a classic of the ATP circuit who even dabbled in politics - and now claims his place back.

CN: Martin, back in the competition you missed so much. I imagine each victory helps you find sensations.

MK: I just try to fight for every point, I don't feel any particular form, I just feel that I'm training a lot, working a lot, trying to play my tennis. It's not about sensations, but about all the work I did beforehand.

Since you came back, you have won four titles on two different surfaces. From having no ranking at all, all the way back to the top-500 in six months...

In two and a half months, actually, because I started in December last year, at a tournament, but I wasn't ready to play...

Antalya, right?

In Antalya, exactly. Then I played a tournament in January. I couldn't play, I couldn't serve, so I was off the courts for a month. Then I got a wildcard to play the Challenger in Koblenz, Germany. There I could play a bit more, but then I was two months without competing. I started to play normally, without pain, but I had a shoulder problem. So, I would say that my first normal tournament was in mid-March, on March 13th, in Heraklion, where I won. It's been two months, two and a half months playing normally.

Martin Klizan.

Is it going better than you expected?

Yes, much better.

You didn't expect to have such a rapid rise

Not at all. I thought I would start with quarterfinals, semifinals... but I did not expect to win four titles in such a short time.

We’ve seen all the videos you’ve posted on Instagram. Hard training at the IMG Academy, in Miami. Is there any sort of specific purpose behind this comeback or is it just to feel alive, as a tennis player, once again?

I feel I have the passion. I got the passion back, and I had a lot of energy, a lot of unused energy, which I need it to be there, because I needed to vent it out on the court (laughs). A lot of things, but the biggest thing was that I needed the emotions back. I needed the 30-All, Deuce, this kind of thrill, this kind of emotion. That’s it. 

The comeback - was it a decision you made all of a sudden? Or was it something that you had been thinking about for some months?

One day I was drinking wine, whatever, gintonics in the evening, and I said to myself: ‘Fuck, I want to come back’. Then I woke up the following day and said: ‘No way, no way’. This happened like five times. Then, that desire started coming up again, again and again, more and more times, so one day I said: ‘There’s something here, definitely’. And I decided to come back.

Do you feel like tennis has changed much from the years you were on the ATP Tour? In terms of the game played or opponents, for example.

I don’t know yet, I have only played different tournaments. I think Futures are way tougher nowadays than when I started, than when I was 17 or 18. But the top-10… let’s say top-10 ten years ago was much better than the top-10 nowadays. But the middle range, let’s say 30-40 players… I don’t know.

I mean, you kind of played in the golden era of tennis.

These guys - Federer, Murray, Nadal… it was crazy.

I read somewhere that you were watching your match against Rafa in Beijing and that was what pushed you to come back, that those highlights made you realize you could do it again. Is that the truth?

Yes, yes, because I have an USB file from that tournament, from all the matches. I was sipping wine, watching the old matches from that tournament, and it was very fun to watch, because I had a lot of variety in my game. From the eyes of the public, it was very interesting tennis. I said to myself: ‘Uh, this game is nice’. I liked my style in those matches, and that really motivated me. 

In Spain, plenty of people remember you from those matches against Rafa. I remember that battle in Roland Garros as well, you were one of those people that pushed him to the limit. 

I remember I won a set against him in Roland Garros, after that he didn’t lose a set apart from the semifinals match against Djokovic. I could’ve also won the second set, I remember that match…

Martin Klizan, after beating Nadal in Beijing.

Let’s recall the memories of that battle.

It wasn’t that hard for me, because I really liked those big matches and I always played at a high level against these guys. They were a bit scared of me (laughs), I always played good. When I played guys with lesser ranking, I played badly. When I played the great guys, I played great.

Have you ever found why it happens that way?

I don’t know, I just like big matches, because there’s many people watching. When there’s no one, I don’t have the passion. When COVID struck, I couldn’t play. No chance. 

How did you find the motivation then, coming back from scratch, playing Futures?

That actually motivates me. From zero to hero, you know. 

Is there any goal in your mind for what’s coming next? Do you want to feel the thrill of the Grand Slams again, maybe aim for top-50 or something like that?

Yes, yes. That’s why I wanted to come back. To be top-100, top-50… that makes no change to me. I was eight years in a row in the top-50, I was there for eight years in a row, that means something, that means that my level is very high when I play great. I’m not at that level right now, because I need to work more. It's not that easy after three years, but I know I’m on the right path and on my way there. I just know something like that takes time, it’s not as if you “do this” and bam. You can do that when you don’t play for like half a year because of an injury, but not after three years, it’s very different.

And I reckon during those three years you did not train at all.

No, no. (Laughs). No chance at all.

What happened during those three years? You ventured into politics, is it something you regret doing?

No. I was into politics during the first year, in the Tennis Federation. I was a candidate for the presidency of the Federation, but we lost, our group lost. We have had the same guy in charge for the last 32 years - we don’t really like it, but there’s no chance to beat him, because he has hands everywhere. You saw what happened in the Czech Republic: it’s the same here, but it’s not official, so there’s nothing we can do, we just need to wait. We actually gave police criminal evidence that the guy is stealing and this is in court right now, but we have like five or six different pieces of evidence. We’re fighting now. 

I then also tried government politics, as well. I liked it, it was a good experience. It lasted for one and a half years, I’m not there anymore, but it was a good experience.

I can see that you feel Slovak tennis could do much better.

Yes, of course. We know how tennis must go, in which way. We know that these guys, who have been there for 32 years, are doing nothing for us, for the players. Furthermore, the clubs have less and less money every year and they just don’t care anymore. We came to fight against them, but no one really gives a shit about it. We stopped trying. Our tennis is in a bad path right now. We have a couple of good results now, but the global system is very bad. We know exactly what to do, but now my focus is fully on tennis once again, I can’t do anything about it.

It’s a shame to hear about this.

Yes, we even had some former players approach us so they can work with us, but the Federation just ignores everybody. 

I guess we’re better off moving from this topic. Talking about your game and achievements, I personally had the feeling that when your game was on, you could beat anybody. Did you have the same feeling as well?

Yes. You see, now I also feel that (laughs). When I play great, I can beat anyone. No problem (laughs).

You’re one of only three players (alongside Gulbis and Humbert) to win the first six finals you played on tour. 

Yes, I was six out of six and in doubles I was four out of four. I got ten out of ten, nobody has got that. Then I lost one singles final, that was a shame.

Against Thiem in St. Petersburg.

Yes, against Dominic…

Did it annoy you a little bit more to lose that final because of the record? (laughing)

Nah, I don’t care. I got a diamond from the tournament director, so…

No way.

He had two diamonds ready for both of us, for the winner and the finalist.

Martin Klizan with Dominic Thiem in St Petersburg.

You also played and beat Djokovic. Beat both Rafa and Novak, although never had the chance to play against Federer. Is it something that you would’ve loved to do?

Yes, I would love to see how my game fares against him, on clay specially. I would play high with my forehand cross court to his one-handed backhand - I would love to know how he’d play that match (laughs).

Can you explain what are the main differences in facing Novak and Rafa?

With Rafa, you always know that he’s going to give you hell. Nothing for free. With Novak, you know for sure you must have very good placement in your shots, because otherwise he’s going to destroy you. With Rafa, you can fight, but you can also make winners. With Djoki, it’s tough to play winners, but you must be very precise. You need to use the body serve, to mix everything with the slice, it’s a little bit different tactics.

Out of the six titles you’ve won in your career, do you perhaps have a special connection with any of them?

I don’t know. All the tournaments I won, I played great, so it’s tough to say. Every tournament has a different story behind it. One tournament I was sick, one tournament I was coming off an injury, one tournament had me in great shape - they’re all different.

On the other hand, what do you think you lacked in order to even climb higher in the rankings? You talked about how on a given day you could beat anyone…

I was #24 in the world, that’s okay (laughs). It’s not the worst. Everybody can say: ‘Oh, fuck, you could be better’. But who are you to say that? I can also say to Novak Djokovic: ‘Oh, you should have won this and that’. It’s so easy to say. I hate when people say something like: ‘He had potential to be even better’. But who are you to say that? I did what I could, my best. I was #24, won six titles, so…

Do you have any specific goals for the end of the season?

Yes. I want to be top-250 in the world so I can get into the Australian Open qualies, that’s my main goal.

What would your message be to tennis fans that are following your comeback?

Surprise, motherfuckers. (Starts laughing). I’m joking, I’m joking. What can I say? The king is back.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "El top-10 de hace diez años era mucho mejor que el actual"