Florian Mayer was one of the best tennis players, earned well and yet suffered from his job for years without being noticed. During a fireside chat, the former professional talks about victories – but also openly about psychological crises and his collapse after the end of his career.
At the end, when Florian Mayer has let his heart breathe, he treats himself to a small beer. He smiles and chats with guests who are much more than just listeners. His family is present, friends, coaches, companions, sponsors. Around 50 people sat in a simple room that they call the pavilion in the Tennis Base, the performance center of the Bavarian Tennis Association in Oberhaching near Munich. “I feel relieved,” says Mayer: “I was a little tight before.” Tense, like before a match. Only: He had never experienced anything like this before. He didn’t know how this venture called “fireside chat” would turn out.