The Hindu (Mumbai)

Former US Open champion Thiem retire at the end of the year

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Austria’s Dominic Thiem, former US Open champion, announced his retirement from the sport on Friday, ending a career plagued by a long-term wrist injury.

The 30-year-old’s career has nose-dived since his crowning moment in 2020, when Thiem beat Alexander Zverev in that year’s pandemic-a ected US Open ‰nal held behind closed doors.

“The season 2024 is gonna be my last one. I am gonna ‰nish my career with the end of this season,” Thiem said in a video statement posted on social media.

Thiem said several reasons had inªuenced his decision

Thiem holds up the championsh­ip trophy after defeating Zverev in the 2020 US Open final.

to retire, mainly his injured wrist and his “inner feeling” that had caused him to “very carefully” reªect on the ups and downs of his “incredible... journey as a tennis player”.

He said he had thought about the decision to end his career “for a very long

time”.

“I am very happy with it (decision) and I am also super excited for everything what is coming next,” he said.

Once the world number three, Thiem’s ranking plummeted to 352 in June 2022 after a wrist injury sidelined him for nine months and prevented him from defending his US Open title.

He is currently ranked 117th.

Over the course of his career, Thiem won 17 tournament­s, including the US Open in 2020.

Twice a ‰nalist at the French Open and once at the Australian Open, Thiem has also contested two ‰nals at the Masters in London that brings together the season’s eight best players.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic praised Thiem earlier this week, saying the Austrian had “always shown respect on the court and always took the time to say hello”, according to APA press agency.

“I really like Dominic. We all know how hard it is to come back (after an injury),” Djokovic was quoted as saying.

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AP

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