Dominic Thiem: I've been helping financially some players but I won't reveal names

Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem believes donations are a private thing and no one should be forced to donate his money. 

The season has been suspended since March 12 due to the coronavirus outbreak and the lower-ranked players have been hit hard by the pandemic as they are facing financial struggles and difficulties. 

Right from the beginning of the Tour suspension, the lower-ranked players were calling for help as most of them can't go for a month -- some even for two weeks or three -- without competing and earning some type of income. 

Then world No. 1 Novak Djokovic stepped in and proposed that top-100 players each donate from $5,000-30,000 on a sliding scale to support the player relief fund. 

As part of Djokovic's proposal, the top-5 players would contribute the most money and hand out $30,000. 

Shortly after the proposal was made public, Thiem, ranked at No. 3 in the world, revealed he was opposed to the proposal as he felt most of the lower-ranked players aren't fighting enough to succeed. 

But Dominic Thiem says he is willing to help those who he feels deserve to receive a support 

"I don't want to clarify things, I stick to what I said. The problem is that a title was made, it was a shortcut. I said from the start that many players deserve to be supported. I myself participated in the Futures circuit for more than two years," Thiem told Der Standard, as revealed on We Love Tennis France. 

"I want to decide for myself to who I help. I supported players long before the coronavirus crisis, but I will not give a name. Donations are a private matter, a matter of the heart. It is not necessary to advertise it or to be seen by the public. I donate money to various organizations that care about people, animals or the climate."

Dominic Thiem, who fell just short of winning his maiden Grand Slam title at this year's Australian Open, has earned $23,873,943 over the course of his career.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2U2i0gf