Challenger
How the 6’8″ Damm places his heel on the bottom
The 20-year-old talks accidents and what he desires to enhance
September 19, 2024
Saint-Tropez opening
Martin Damm in motion throughout the ATP Challenger Tour 125 occasion in Saint-Tropez, France.
By Grant Thompson
American Martin Damm took to the follow courtroom for his remaining coaching session forward of this 12 months’s grass courtroom swing. The 20-year-old was eagerly awaiting the possibility to compete professionally on grass, the floor on which he defeated Carlos Alcaraz on the 2019 Wimbledon junior match.
However in a flash, Damm suffered a freak harm that stored him out of motion for 3 months, tearing two ligaments in his left ankle earlier than coaching even started.
“I simply stepped and earlier than I knew it I used to be on the bottom in huge ache. It was brutal,” Damm advised ATPTour.com throughout the Saint-Tropez Open, an ATP Challenger Tour 125 occasion. “I simply stepped, I did not essentially roll or fall.
“I feel there should have been one thing flawed with my ankle. It should have been shut by and it was only a matter of what day it could occur. I do not assume this stuff simply occur out of nowhere. For the primary two weeks I could not even put my heel on the bottom.”
Earlier than the harm, Damm was having fun with a number of the greatest outcomes of his profession, reaching his first ATP Challenger Tour remaining in January and reaching the third spherical of the ATP Masters 1000 occasion in Miami two months later.
Now Damm is “used to counting on my ankle a bit extra” and needs to achieve the extent he confirmed within the first half of the 12 months.
The son of 40-time tour-level doubles titleholder Martin Damm, the Florida native has distinctive attributes that make him a troublesome opponent. Damm, who turns 21 in late September, is 6’8” and is left-handed.
“There aren’t many gamers who have been or are like that. It undoubtedly has its execs and cons. I feel the fantastic thing about it’s that I am left-handed and the scale. Hopefully my serve can get to a degree the place it is probably the greatest on the earth,” Damm stated.
“On the identical time, the sport has progressed a lot in the previous couple of years, everyone seems to be so good at hitting a tennis ball. So sadly, it’s not simply in regards to the serve and the way you hit the ball. The largest half is the bodily facet, health and likewise the psychological facet of it.
“I feel it is time to look past forehands, backhands and serves. It is nice to have that within the toolbox, in fact, however you additionally should be an absolute beast mentally and bodily to compete with these guys. I feel that is the factor I would like to enhance on probably the most.”
Damm discovered the significance of psychological toughness from his father, whose greatest profession doubles title was the 2006 US Open with Leander Paes. The American has additionally labored with USTA psychological efficiency coach Larry Lauer for seven years.
“[My dad] “He advised me regardless of how dangerous it will get, simply preserve working,” Damm stated. “On the time, it might need felt like a career-ending loss, however on the finish of the day, it’s just one recreation and the season is so lengthy. Hold your head down, preserve working and know that the laborious instances will ultimately move.”
“My dad and Larry say, ‘Simply settle for it, transfer on, preserve working and tomorrow is one other day.’”