By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday October 22, 2024
The Austrian legend was showered with heartfelt applause after his final match, a straight sets loss to Italy's Luciano Darderi.
Photo Source: TTV
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday October 22, 2024
One of the best – and most jaw-dropping – talents of his generation, Dominic Thiem’s decade-plus of excellence was routinely accompanied by legions of adoring fans who couldn’t get enough of the Austrian’s bristling brand of tennis, which featured some the type of physicality that could be matched only by the great Rafael Nadal.
On many occasions, in fact, not even Nadal could match it.
Thiem defeated Nadal six times, including four on red clay – at four different venues, and once when Nadal was World No.1. Nadal wasn’t the only immovable force that Thiem found a way to move during his prime. In additon to his six wins over Nadal (6-10) he went 5-2 against Roger Federer (who could forget Thiem’s win over the Swiss Maestro in the Indian Wells final in 2019, which brought him his lone Masters title), and 5-7 against world-beating Novak Djokovic (including 2-2 at the majors).
Thiem's legacy is about more than defeating the best at the biggest events, however. Always humble, always friendly, his personality was as world-class as his breathtaking tennis, and that is what made the Austrian a fan favorite across the globe.
Wherever he went, the chants of DOMI!!! DOMI!!! DOMI!!! rang out, without fail.
It is also why the tennis world rejoiced when Thiem won his maiden major title at the 2020 US Open, rallying from two sets down to take out Alexander Zverev as he became the second man from Austria to win a major title, and the first to do it at the US Open.
That is the Dominic Thiem we’ll remember. Though a wrist surgery took sapped his superpowers, starting in 2021, and he was never able to recover to reach the insane levels he hit in the late 2010s, during his magnificent career the former World No.3 built a legacy that reached far and wide enough to give him legendary status among the tennis cognoscenti.
Today in Vienna, where he thrilled the hometown crowds by winning the title in 2019, Thiem was sent off passionately by a packed house who came to celebrate everything he had achieved since recording his first ATP win in Vienna 13 years ago, in 2011.
Thiem went on to win 17 ATP titles and reach another three major finals in addition to his US Open title. He notched 32 Top 10 wins, including 16 over his big three rivals and five wins (5-8) over reigning No.1-ranked players.
Though he fell short today against Italy’s Luciano Darderi, 7-6, 6-2, the enthusiasm was not dampened at all. Thiem was showered with hearty applause for several minutes after the match, then spoke to the crowd in his native language as he fought back the tears.
At 31, we say goodbye to a phenom who delivered a level of physically exuberant tennis that was undeniably moving to watch, particularly on the red clay. Though he burned out earlier than all of us would have liked, the glowing embers of Thiem’s remarkable career will burn forever in our memories.
At times he defied limitations, his blistering, boisterous game too outsized to comprehend. All we could do was gasp and wonder – how does he play like that?
This was a man that trained, during his formative years, by carrying chopped-down trees on his back through rugged terrain, so there’s a clue.
Whatever the reason, whatever was inside the man they called Domi, it was special. He was a dynamo. His heart was big and he played with gusto. The torque he applied to the ball with his wicked groundstrokes was concussive creativity at its finest. Today we give praise. He burned out too early, but man was it a fun ride.
Best of luck in the future, Domi, you’ll be missed.