ATP VIENNA – Dominic Thiem (31) completed his last match at the home five hundred in the Vienna hall. The former US Open champion and one-time world No. 3 lost 6-7, 2-6 to Luciano Darderi, 22, and said goodbye to his successful career, which he decided to end due to persistent wrist problems and poor results in recent years.
Thiem – Darderi 6:7, 2:6
Massive support, loud celebrations of every point won, and home environment were not enough to prolong Dominic Thiem’s career. The Grand Slam champion and former world No. 3 played his first match since the US Open, where he celebrated his only major triumph in 2020, and his last in the Vienna hall.
He had an excellent duel with Lucian Darderi. However, in the opening set, in which he hit 19 winners and 13 unforced errors, he did not hold a break lead and did not take a 5-2 lead in the tie-break or convert a set point. After losing the shortened game with a ratio of 6:8, he could no longer resist and won only two games.
It was in Vienna in 2011 that he scored his first ever victory in the main competitions on the highest circuit. He announced his separation already in the spring. “The 2024 season will be the last. My wrist is not as it should be or as I would like it to be. The second reason is my gut feeling. I have considered this decision for a very long time,” said the currently 318th ranked tennis player, who was loved by the entire tennis world.
His problems began in the 2021 season, shortly after his only Grand Slam triumph, and he had to end it after Wimbledon. He tried in vain to return to his former level for over two years.
“I’ve had some nice goodbyes in the last few months and today I want to say thank you for all the wonderful years. My whole journey has been an absolute dream and I’d like to dedicate this afternoon and evening to you. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.” he said in front of a sold-out Vienna hall.
Match statistics. (@ Livesport / Enetpulse)
In his career, Thiem played 29 finals and collected 17 titles on the highest circuit, one of which he recorded in Vienna. Surprisingly, he triumphed only once at Masters events, namely in California’s Indian Wells in 2019. But he was the biggest threat on clay courts, where he defeated the king of this surface, Rafael Nadal, several times.
He has at least five scalps of all members of the Big Three (Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Nadal). He strove for the Grand Slam laurel four times in total, but failed at the French Open 2018-19 (Nadal) and at the Australian Open 2020 (Djokovic). Of the Austrians, only Thomas Muster has lifted the Grand Slam trophy over his head at the French Open 1995.
The whole tennis world applauds you Domi, for everything you have given us all ♥️
Take a bow, #DankeDomi pic.twitter.com/YDWMeDJGvg
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 22, 2024
Results of the ATP 500 tournament in Vienna
The article was originally published for Livesport News.
