We need a lot of carbohydrates, so I would say pasta… Probably a rigatoni, which is my favorite pasta shape, with some tomato sauce, and some salad as well. When I’m on a break from playing, and I go home to my parents, it’s a wiener schnitzel, this Austrian dish which is a crispy fried veal cutlet. That’s my comfort food.
The items that always make it to his carry-on:
An iPad for downloading movies or a television series, AirPods because I like to listen to music, and that’s it really. I’m actually a good sleeper, so during flights I sleep a lot and the time goes way faster. The one thing I wish I could carry on my travels is my mattress! For us tennis players it’s very difficult because we are constantly changing beds, as well as mattresses; every tournament we sleep somewhere new. So I would say having the same bed or mattress would be so good.
What he thinks of journeying by sea:
I mean [the Explora III is] very, very elegant. And the quality of the food… I’ve eaten here now for a couple of days, and it’s really, really good. I think this basically is like an amazing hotel. A hotel that moves around the world. Yesterday we were in Genova, and today we are in Marseille.
You know—as tennis players—we get so much attention all the time, and are always under pressure to perform. And of course everyone handles it differently, but I always like to step away from the limelight. Back when I was young I would’ve never thought about escaping to the middle of the sea, but it’s somewhere where I feel like you’re kind of untouchable, and you can switch off your phone. And that to me is priceless.
Where we’d find him hiding on a ship:
Well, there’s the amazing paddle court upstairs on deck 14. But being on a ship like this, I might get away to one of the swimming pools or perhaps a jacuzzi.
Favorite feature of a hotel:
Quiet and calm. I don’t like a hotel that’s too busy and full of people. And I’m kind of strict about that. We play so much tennis a year and recovery periods are so important, even if it’s a short one. To perform well, you need to be more rested.
Any travel rituals we should know about?:
It’s more a wellness ritual. After a tennis match it’s always an ice bath for me, which I know is not that relaxing but it’s important. And then of course the jacuzzi, which releases tension and relaxes the muscles. Longevity is always top of mind as a player, and it’s something you know you can work towards. There’s so many new tools, and you see new routines on social media all the time that you think you might try out.
A sport (other than tennis) he enjoys traveling for?:
It has to be Formula One. I’m a big F1 fan, so I like to, if I have the time, go to races. Because my schedule is very busy, it’s tough to do, but I do enjoy watching a race. The qualifying race in Monaco would be really cool, especially since I live there—it’s a bucket-list race and qualifying is always the most exciting part. I haven’t been there in person yet, but it’s on my list.