Thiem: Top pair’s absence is ‘no big deal’

Dominic T hi em has shrugged off the absence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as he seeks to justify his status as the biggest threat to Novak Djokovic’s hopes of a fourth US Open crown.

With two of the sport’ s biggest names opting to stay away, Thiem is seeded two behind the Se rb, whom he pushed to the limit in an epic Australian Open final in January.

The Austrian reached round two when opponent Jaume Munar retired injured midway through their match, which Thiem led 7-6 (6), 6-3.

Thiem said: “The absence of them [Federer and Nadal] is never nice, because even though I’ m a player myself, I love to watch them compete. But I think it’ s not too big of a deal, because it’ s not the first time in a major that these two are not playing, and in a few years it is going to be every major without them.

“There are still many super players around, so it doesn’t really matter.”

Thiem, who showed few ill effects from his surprise defeat by Filip Krajinovic in the Western & Southern Open last week, said: “I was much better today. It was a good fight to get a rhythm and a good start in the tournament.”

Tenth seed A nd rey Rublev was knocked out in straight sets by French veteran Jeremy Char dy, but 11 th seed Karen Khacha nov narrowly avoided a similar fate as he won a final set tie -break over Italy’s Jannik Sinner.