French Open champ Kevin Krawietz turns shelf stacker during coronavirus pandemic

A year after winning men's doubles title at Roland Garros, German tennis player Kevin Krawietz is helping out during coronavirus pandemic by stacking shelves in his local supermarket. "I've been working for a discount supermarket on a 450 euros ($488) basis for a few weeks w," Krawietz, who won 2019 French Open title with Andreas Mies, told Der Spiegel magazine. Munich-based Krawietz, world-ranked 13th in doubles, says that as a pro he has a special permit to "train three or four times a week" at a local tennis hall.

French Open champ turns shelf stacker

2020 tennis season has been badly hit by coronavirus and French Open has been postponed from May until September. When t training, Krawietz, 28, is busy stacking shelves during pandemic. Germany currently has 155,193 cases of virus and 5,750 deaths so far.

"I sort out shelves, make sure saus and cheese is well stocked and sort out empty boxes," he explained.

"Last week, I was on security duty at entrance, spraying shopping trolleys with disinfectant." Krawietz had been considering "a rmal job", but "thanks to coronavirus, I w have opportunity to do so".

He says experience gives him a greater "appreciation" of his career as a tennis pro. "My colleagues are sometimes in shop from half past five to fill shelves," he said. "I, on or hand, have had luxury of being able to turn my hobby into my profession." Krawietz and Mies enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2019, backing up victory in Paris by reaching semi-finals of US Open.

Before that however, Krawietz admits often having struggled to make ends meet, "some years I finished in red". "Once I won a little over a thousand euros in prize money for a tournament in Italy, that was my weekly salary," he added. "I have to pay tax on that, take out travel expenses and fee for a coach. re was t much left." He backed vak Djokovic's recent calls to set up an aid fund to help low-ranking pros struggling financially. "That can certainly help some players survive," said Krawietz. "But all in all it would be nice if we - independent of coronavirus - could make it possible to make a good living out of sport even beyond Top 100."

Im credits: AP