Austrian Dominic Thiem says goodbye after his last match as a professional, at the Vienna Tournament, on October 22, 2024
GEORG HOCHMUTH
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Dominic Thiem will no longer be seen on the tennis courts: the former world No. 3, winner of the US Open in 2020, was eliminated this Tuesday in the first round of the ATP 500 tournament in Vienna.
The 31-year-old Austrian lost in the first round in the Austrian capital against the Italian Luciano Darderi 7-6 (8/6), 6-1 in 1 hour and 32 minutes of play.
Dropped to 318th place in the world, Thiem had received an invitation to participate in the tournament, but could not hold out against his 22-year-old rival, 42nd in the world.
Acclaimed by nearly 10,000 spectators, he thanked his fans “for their support” throughout some “sensational” years. “This trip was an absolute trip,” he said before signing autographs.
Throughout his career, Thiem won 17 tournaments, including the 2020 US Open, his only Grand Slam. He also played two finals at Roland Garros and one at the Australian Open.
In mid-2021 he had to stay away from the courts due to a torn ligament in his right wrist, and he would not recover his level again.
He ends his career with a record of 348 wins and 215 losses, with more than 30 million euros won.
In its farewell to Thiem, the ATP highlighted his one-handed backhand, “an elegant shot that is becoming a relic of the past, it was as baroque as the most golden of Viennese coffees.”
