A comeback can be a wonderful and heroic thing when it succeeds.
There are quite a few inspiring stories about athletes who were injured, rehabilitated themselves, fought and believed, and thanks to hard work returned to the same point where they were and sometimes even progressed from it.
Unsuccessful comebacks, on the other hand, are a whole other matter.
These are stories devoid of heroism, sometimes unpleasant to watch, from which there is no way to take out the sporting pathos that comes with successful comebacks.
Ask Dominic Tim.
There was a period, between 2016 and 2020, when the Austrian was the best tennis player among the human beings who do not belong to the historical trio.
The climax came with winning the U.S. Open in 2020 after a five-set victory over Alexander Zebrav, coming back from a 2-0 deficit (the first to do so in the Open era), but before that there was also a final in Australia, and especially a feeling that once Raphael Nadal clears the clay - Dominic Tim will be the one to take over.In those years the Austrian reached two semi-finals at Roland Garros and then two finals in which he lost to the Spaniard, climbing to third place in the world rankings and placing very respectable scales against Nadal, Djokovic and Federer.
EPA, Photo: Hand injury makes it difficult
Tim was then a back line animal, one who was able to move balls with the palm and back of the hand with the same precision and power.
It had athleticism, dynamism and flexibility that were very impressive to watch.
Those who watched houses in the first round game at Roland Garros earlier this week, were certainly not as impressed.
Against the Bolivian Hugo Delane, ranked 87, the Austrian made 42 uncommitted errors, barely making any first submissions and losing 6: 3, 6: 2, 6: 4.
It was the seventh tournament in which he participated in 2022, and in all of them he lost in the first round.
Along with the end of 2021, it was the tenth consecutive loss of someone who was once a regular member in the final stages of every tournament.
"It's quite clear that I'm much more stressed and tense and it affects my punches because I do not feel comfortable and miss a lot of balls," concluded 29-year-old Tim.
"It will probably take a long time before I can face the good players again."
The big moment in his career, Photo: Twitter
The turning point in Tim's story came last year.
First there was pain in the right palm, then elimination in the first round of the Roland Garros and then retirement from the Majorca tournament when the body is unable to continue.
In June the Austrian announced that he was taking a short break to treat the problem, without surgery, but the recovery process was stretched and smeared much more than expected.
Only in March, after nine months out, did Tim return to the pitches.
Since then he has been in Moravia, Belgrade, Estoril, Madrid, Rome, Geneva and now in Roland Garros: seven tournaments, seven losses, a win in just one set.
It's obvious that the pain mainly affects the palm of the hand, Tim's hallmark, and when mistakes pile up - self-confidence also cracks.
"In no game have I felt I was even close to winning," he recently admitted.
Will try to start over, Photo: AFP
Now that he has dropped to 190th in the world, Tim realizes that at the moment his comeback story is far from heroic or inspiring.
To become one, the plan is to play some challengers in front of players at the bottom of the rankings, scratch some wins and start from there.
"I need patience," he stated, and seemed to need a lot of it.
Yesterday: Reigning champion Barbara Kreichikova (2) did not recover from the injury that sidelined her this year, and was eliminated when she lost in three sets to 19-year-old Diane Parry of France.
Osaka's speeches also finished its way, while first-ranked Iga Schwintech easily advanced to the second round.
In the men's, Rafael Nadal defeated Jordan Thompson in three sets.
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