In Vienna, Grand Slam champion Dominic Thiem bid farewell to his illustrious but injury-plagued career, exiting his home tournament after a first-round loss to Italy’s Luciano Darderi. Thiem, who clinched the US Open title in 2020 and reached three other major finals, has struggled to replicate his past successes since a wrist injury in 2021. In May, he announced that this season would be his last on the tour.
“It hurts. But at the same time I was playing some forehands, especially in the second set, and they were not even coming to the net. So it was the right decision,” Thiem remarked after his final-ever Tour-level match, a defeat to Darderi.
Tennis bid adieu to another star on Tuesday as the former US Open champion announced his retirement at the age of 31 due to a series of injuries in recent seasons. Reflecting on his decision, Thiem expressed that while calling time on his career prematurely was painful, it was the correct choice.
Thiem, who had peaked as high as world No. 3, had a memorable 2020 season where he staged a remarkable comeback from two sets down to conquer Alexander Zverev in the US Open final. However, his career trajectory was marred by injury setbacks that prevented him from reaching his full potential.
Despite the setbacks, Thiem’s junior career showcased promise, with a peak of world No. 2 ranking and a runner-up finish at the 2011 French Open boys tournament. As a senior player, he twice finished as the runner-up at Roland-Garros, falling to Rafael Nadal in 2018 and 2019, and to Novak Djokovic in the 2020 Australian Open final.
Throughout his final match in Vienna, the Austrian displayed glimpses of his former brilliance, particularly on his backhand side. However, relinquishing a 4-2 advantage in the first set allowed Darderi to seize control, ultimately leading to Thiem’s defeat.
“Those emotions, those feelings. Being in the flow, like I was in the first set. These are the things that will never come back,” Thiem lamented, reflecting on his career.
As Thiem bids farewell to professional tennis, fans and fellow players alike acknowledge his contributions and talents on the court.
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