‘THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVEN’T BEEN EASY AS I ’VE HAD A FEW INJURIES. GETTING TO THE TOP 100 IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST PLAYING GOOD TENNIS’
before the Australian Open, where, at last, he was rewardedwith direct entry into the main draw. “It had always beenmy dream to be in the top 100 and to get into themain drawat the Slams,” Otte told tennishead . “It mademe really happy. It was a long route and it took a lot of time.The last fewyears haven’t been easy as I’ve had a few injuries. Getting there is about somuchmore than just playing good tennis. I’mreally happy that last season worked out well. But I always believed that I could get there. I had beaten guys ranked in the top 100 a couple of years earlier, but at that stagemy bodywasn’t ready. That’s when I changed things inmy training. I worked more onmy body than playing actual tennis and it worked out reallywell. “I was injured at the beginning of the year. I had a problemwithmy foot for sixmonths. After that I decided to change. I hired a new [trainer] and did a lot formy body. It meant that I could playmore consistently at a lot of tournaments at a high level. My tennis improved as well. I played a lot of close matches at the Slams, bigmatches on big courts, and that changedmywhole outlook.” Although victory slipped fromhis grasp against Zverev at Roland Garros and against Murray at Wimbledon, Otte saw bothmatches as important moments in his career. “They were probablymy two toughest losses so far, but I learned a lot from them,” he said. “I didn’t get too nervous. I was pretty focused in both of thosematches. Of course I would have preferred to have won them, but I think you needmatches like
One that got away Oscar Otte (left) with Andy Murray at Wimbledon, where the German let slip a two-sets-to-one lead
again came through qualifying, won a four- hourmarathon against Arthur Rinderknech in the first round andwas then ahead by two sets to one on Centre Court before AndyMurray fought back. At the US Open Otte successfully negotiated qualifying once more andwon threematches in themain drawbefore going out toMatteo Berrettini in the fourth round. Determined to build on his belated success at Grand Slam level and to press on towards the world’s top 100, Otte won three Challenger titles in the autumn. He ended last year ranked No 101 in the world and finally reached his rankings goal the week
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