With Alexander Zverev as the show match opponent and Boris Becker as one of the prominent guests, tennis professional Dominic Thiem said goodbye to the audience shortly before the end of his career. In front of 5,000 spectators in Vienna, the 2020 US Open winner first played a set against Zverev, which he won 6-3, befitting the occasion.
The duel was reminiscent of Thiem’s Grand Slam success four years ago. In the final in New York, the Austrian held his own against the Hamburg native despite being 0-2 down. The US Open title was the greatest success of his tennis career.
End of career on Tuesday?
«Of course it definitely doesn’t leave me unscathed. Sometime next week the time will come,” said Thiem about his upcoming career end. The 31-year-old will start at the end of the ATP tournament in Vienna and will take part in the action on Tuesday against the Italian Luciano Darderi.
Zverev, who is in first place, will compete against the Austrian Joel Schwärzler on Monday. “First and foremost, I’m losing a friend on the tour, but of course we also played the biggest matches together,” said Zverev: “But it’s a goodbye and not a goodbye. I hope that in a year or two he will get bored and come back to the tour.”
Becker was also on Center Court for a fun competition following the show set. This was followed by the honor with a video review of Thiem’s career, recordings of congratulations from Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
