Grand slam champion Kevin Krawietz long planned to gain insight into
normal life. Without tennis in the coronavirus crisis, the
28-year-old works in a supermarket and sometimes it gets "tough," he
says.
Stuttgart (dpa) - One after another, Kevin Krawietz sorts products on
the shelves. Wearing gloves and a mask, he puts potatoes, asparagus
and blueberries in their place.
Just after opening time at 7 am, the discount supermarket where is
working has already drawn a steady stream of customers.
There is nothing unusual other than the shelf stacker being a French
Open champion. But nothing is usual at the moment and under normal
circumstances Krawietz would not be here.
Krawietz would otherwise have been preparing to defend the men's
doubles title at Roland Garros in Paris. Instead, with tennis
suspended due to the coronavirus crisis, the grand slam winner is
taking the chance to change his perspective - on the basis of 450
euros (490 dollars) a month.
"At the start it was rather thought of as a joke," Krawietz told dpa.
But the need was there. A friend directed him and tennis buddy Hannes
Wagner to a store in Brunnthal, Bavaria.
"We just wanted to see if it's exhausting, if it's a challenge, to
get up early and tidy shelves, to do quite mindless work."
It's not about money for the 28-year-old who banked almost a million
euros in prize money from a glorious 2019.
Krawietz started at 5.30 am having needed half an hour for his
commute. He enjoys collecting new experiences far removed from the
ATP Tour. Tennis is hardly a topic in the supermarket.
In Paris 12 months ago, Krawietz and partner Andreas Mies were the
first Germans to win a men's doubles title at a grand slam since
1937. "Really a sensation," was the opinion of more than just tennis
legend Boris Becker.
Krawietz took time to learn but can now help lay out the supermarket
and knows to arrange products by expiry date.
"We have great respect for the workers. They all do their jobs well,
no one is in a bad mood. That surprised us," he said.
But it is not always fun. "Of course there are moments when I say
I can't be bothered any more," moments where he thinks "now it is
tough," while watching the clock.
"Pull yourself together," is his internal response.
For example, as he once spent five hours disinfecting shopping
trolleys and guarding the entrance, Krawietz patiently explained to
every customer they had to take a trolley - otherwise he would lose
count over the 40-customer limit being observed.
"A couple of people didn't accept it, simply went inside and I had to
run after them," he said.
The experience has reminded him to value more "how cool" it is to be
a professional player. He would like to take part in a new behind
closed doors tournament series from the German tennis federation from
June 8 - his last supermarket shift, for now, has already been
worked.