As Dominic Thiem waved goodbye to the US Open, he expressed no regrets about the way his career had turned out. In the tournament where he achieved great success in the past, he was defeated 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 by American Ben Shelton in the first round.
The Austrian athlete won the US Open in 2020 before a wrist injury in 2021 kept him out of action for several months. After playing at home in the Vienna Open in October, he said earlier this year that he would retire at the end of the 2024 season.
After losing the US Open first-round match, Thiem said: “I was struggling enough the last years, especially since I was not able to come back to my level, but once I took the decision this year in March, I was happy about it…I was also able to prepare for this new chapter which is coming soon. Honestly, I loved playing on tour, and I was very patient about it, but I also always really enjoyed to be home and to have kind of a normal life at home.”
“That’s why I think it’s not that difficult for me, and that’s why I’m really also happy with my decision,” he added.
Bad luck with injury
When asked which impact had been greater—the psychological effects of missing a significant amount of playing time or the injury itself—Thiem responded: “The basic reason why I’m here now, retiring pretty young is the bad luck with the wrist injury.”
He remarked: “But again, I’m really happy with the career I had before. I never expected that it’s going to be that successful, so I don’t have really any regrets, and I’m good with that.”
Source: CNA