By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday May 8, 2024
Nadal, Murray, Cornet, Collins, Schwartzman and now Thiem? The list of big names who will likely retire by the end of the season could be growing...
Reportedly former US Open champion and former World No.3 Dominic Thiem is planning to announce that he will retire this year at his home event in Vienna. Rumors started circulating on Tuesday that Thiem is already telling his sponsors, and word is that an official announcement will come later this week.
Now 30, and ranked 117, Thiem has struggled to regain his form after returning from a wrist injury that kept him out of the game from June 2021 to March 2022. Prior to that injury, Thiem was one of the most lethal forces in the sport who became a Grand Slam champion at the US Open in 2020 and also reached three other Grand Slam finals – at Roland Garros in 2018 and 2019 and at the Australian Open in 2020.
Thiem has amassed 167 clay court wins and ten titles on the surface, but he hasn’t been the same player for the last two years. In January Thiem hinted that he was considering calling time on his career.
"If I finish the year at 100 again, you have to consider whether the whole thing is still worthwhile,” he said.
Novak Djokovic spoke to reporters today, saying he didn’t know about and couldn’t confirm the rumors, but adding some kind words against the Austrian, who has always been well-liked by peers and fans alike.
“I haven't heard of that. I mean, unless he confirms it, I will not comment on the retirement because rumors are rumors,” Djokovic said. “I can speak about him.” “First of all, a great guy, very good person, someone that has very good manners, good values, family man, somebody that always took time to say hello, always showed respect on the court, off the court.
“I really like Dominic. I think he's a great example of somebody who never gives up after the difficult time he had and still has with injuries, trying to work his way back to the level where he was when he was winning Grand Slams and being [among the] top [players of the] of the world.
“For him, it's been a struggle to build rankings and find the level of tennis for quite a few years. I definitely empathize with him and I wish him all the best.”