Dominic Thiem will end his career as a professional tennis player this fall. The 30-year-old announced this in an official statement. His final tournament is expected to be the “Erste Bank Open” from October 19 to 27 at the Wiener Stadthalle.
“Hello everyone, I have to share some important news with you – it’s very sad but also beautiful. This season will be my last. I will be ending my career at the end of the season. There are several reasons for this decision, starting with my wrist. It’s not as it should be and not how I want it to be,” Thiem said in a video statement on his social media channels.
“The second reason is a personal feeling. I have thought long and hard about this decision. I’ve also reflected on my entire journey as a tennis player, which has been incredible. It was an amazing experience for which I am so grateful. I am very happy with my decision; it is the right one. I am very excited about what comes next.”
Severe wrist injury set Thiem back
Thiem suffered a severe wrist injury in June 2021 and, despite a lengthy recovery, was unable to return to the heights that once ranked him world number three.
Thiem had already announced at the end of January that he would consider retiring if his stagnation continued. The goal of being in the top 50 by year’s end is still theoretically achievable for him, but it does not seem realistic – especially to Thiem himself.
The Lower Austrian is currently ranked 117th in the world rankings, and as of last Friday, he was 129th in the live rankings. A spot in the French Open main draw would only come via qualifying rounds or a wildcard.
“I’ve talked enough about it. If I don’t meet my goals, then this will probably be my last year. I won’t change my mind; let’s see what it looks like at the end of the year,” Thiem had said regarding his situation, according to Sky Sports.
US Open victory as the biggest career achievement
His greatest achievement was winning the US Open in 2020. Following Thomas Muster’s French Open victory in 1995, Thiem became the second Austrian to win a Grand Slam title.
In 2018 and 2019, he reached the finals of the French Open, where he was defeated by clay-court king Rafael Nadal on both occasions. Thiem also made it to the finals of the Australian Open at the start of 2020, where he lost in five sets to Novak Djokovic. Over his professional career, Thiem won a total of 17 titles.
