By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, August 26, 2024
Ben Shelton swept Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open champion's final major match. Afterward, Thiem reflected on his brilliant career.
Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty
NEW YORK—A silent roar erupted when Dominic Thiem captured his lone major championship on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Today, Thiem crossed the Grand Slam finish line feeling—and hearing—the love from US Open fans.
Novak Djokovic: I Still Feel The Drive
American left-hander Ben Shelton topped Thiem 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Shelton charged into the US Open second round, while Thiem stood on Ashe Stadium soaking up the support from fans in his final major match.
.aspx)
Parting can be painful.
In Thiem’s case, the former world No. 3 said he’s felt joy closing the curtain on his Grand Slam career just four years after his rousing rally to the US Open championship.
“I'm happy,” Thiem told the media. “You know, it's like I was struggling enough, like, 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, from this moment on, I was happy about it. “
While this is not Thiem’s final professional match—he plans to play a UTS event in Frankfurt before closing his career at his home event in Vienna—knowing this was his final major match but the 30-year-old Austrian at peace.
“Obviously I was also able to kind of prepare already this new chapter what is coming soon,” Thiem said. “Honestly, like, I always, I mean, I loved playing on tour, and I was very patient about it, but honestly, I also always really enjoyed to be home and to have, as much as it was possible, kind of a normal life at home.
“And that's why I always, I really look forward to this one now, that the normal life is now coming. That's why I think it's not that difficult for me, and that's why I'm really also happy with my decision.”
Arthur Ashe Stadium fans showered applause on the Austrian wild card in a significantly different atmosphere to Thiem’s resilient rally to win the 2020 US Open in a pandemic year played without fans inside the 24,000-seat Ashe Stadium.
Digging down deep and fueled by the pain of three Grand Slam final losses, a resolute Thiem refused to yield pulling off a historic comeback to edge Zverev for the eighth time in 10 career meetings.
It was a major breakthrough for Thiem, the first man in Open Era history to rally from two sets down to win the US Open final.
Thiem joined legendary Hall of Famer Pancho Gonzales, who fought back from a two-set deficit to defeat top-seeded Ted Schroeder 16-18, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4,win the 1949 U.S. National Championships, as the only men in tournament history to rally from two sets down and take the title. Thiem collected a champion's check of $3 million and respect for transforming a high-strung start into a triumphant finish.
The son of tennis coaches dropped to his back in celebration floored by finally realizing the dream back in 2020.
Today, Thiem was all smiles after his final US Open match as he thanked fans for the unwavering support.
“First of all, thank you so much for all your support all those years. It’s been 10 years since I played here for the first time,” Thiem told fans. “It’s actually a really important moment for me because I’ve had my greatest success of my career here on this court.
“In this weird 2020 under very very strange and different circumstances. And unfortunately, I had this success without any of you. So that was of course, at one point, a really amazing moment. But on the other hand also pretty sad.
"So I’m super happy that I got the chance to play my last US Open, my last match, here on this court. And I can spend now some time with you guys just to say thank you to all of you and to make the time up for what we missed four years ago.So that’s a really special moment and I’m very grateful for everybody who came and for everybody who got me the chance to play here for one last time.”
Tennis is a humbling sport and world No. 210 Thiem conceded he is not the same powerhouse player who reached back-to-back French Open finals in 2018 and 2019.
A chronic right wrist injury sapped the sting from Thiem’s ferocious forehand.
Playing the grass-court event in Mallorca in 2021, Thiem suffered a tear in his right wrist that forced him to miss nine months from June 2021-March 2022. Though he rehabbed and returned to action, Thiem's forehand was never quite the fearsome weapon it was prior to his wrist tear.
Shelton said Thiem's rise—and seeing the wrist injury rob him his prime play—has been a bit of a reality check.
"So you hate to see a guy like that, such a nice guy, great player, go through the injuries and deal with all that he's dealt with," Shelton said. "But I think if I learn anything from him, it's that, you know, this is a game that is unforgiving. Things can change quick. You can be at the top of the game, and your body doesn't hold up or some freak accident happens, injuries happen all the time. So tennis isn't forever.
"I think that's one thing to learn and take away. Obviously still had a career that a lot of people dream about. But yeah, things can change quickly, so definitely be, you know, grateful for every moment that I have playing out here."
The struggle to shorten points was compounded by the fact the man nicknamed Dominator for his physicality was eventually worn down by his physically-punishing style of play.
Reflecting on the final stage of his career today, Thiem admitted he was never quite the same player post-wrist injury.
“I have the feeling that once I got back in a very good mental state, the injury happened,” Thiem said. “Then the feeling, especially on the forehand, never came back like it was before. Of course, due to that, I was struggling also mentally a lot, because it was very difficult to accept. So those two things, mentally and physically, always come together.
“But yeah, I think the basic reason why I'm here now retiring pretty young is still the bad luck with the wrist injury. But again, like, I'm really happy with the career I had before. I never expected that it's gonna be that successful, so I don't have really any regrets, and I'm good with that.”
The owner of 17 career titles, including six on hard court, Thiem and Andy Murray are the only two men with at least five career wins over Big 3 champions Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
The Austrian with the laser forehand and booming backhand earned deep respect from Big 3 champions.
"[Dominic is] just one of the nicest guys, really, on the tour for many years. He's been respected. He's been admired," Djokovic said. "He's been loved by his peers, by colleagues, by everyone on the tour. Of course, fans.
"He put in so much work over the years, and I think he was a great example for many players that see what's happening, so to say, behind the scenes. He always puts in the extra work, and the tenacity and intensity that he brings on and off the court in everything he does is something really remarkable.
"It's really unfortunate for a player of his caliber that was really almost on top of the world, and being a top-3, top-5 player for years to go through the injury of the wrist that really, yeah, made him struggle. He was never the same player after that. It's unfortunate."
In fact, Thiem went 9-3 vs. the Big 3 from 2019-2020, including a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Federer in the 2019 Indian Wells final. Thiem was 5-2 lifetime vs. Federer and those thrilling matches are among the things he says he will miss most about the sport he’s devoted his life to playing.
“I think that the thing I will miss the most is, like, this feeling after winning a great match, it's not really comparable to anything else,” Thiem said. “Like, you don't really get this feeling, I mean, in my case, in life outside of tennis, because it's, like, a real high.
“It's like being on drugs a little bit, I guess. I mean, I know that probably this feeling is not coming back again, so this is for sure also the one I'm going to miss the most.”
Tennis won’t be missing from Thiem’s future.
Embed from Getty Images
The son of tennis coaches plans to work in sustainability and just maybe one day he’ll return to the US Open as a coach guiding players from his Austrian Academy.
“I really want to go more into sustainability. I already have one energy community with solar energy,” Thiem said. “That's one very important topic for me. That is one side.
“On the other side, also I want to stay in tennis, of course. We have our academy already in Austria, and it would be amazing if players from there are coming through one day and also competing in tournaments like the US Open or in the biggest tournaments in the world. This would be really, really nice, and would be also the goal, of course.”