Dominic Thiem: File vs. Large 3 ‘very excessive up’ in profession achievements | ATP Tour

Dominic Thiem

Thiem: File vs. Large 3 ‘very excessive up’ in profession achievements

Austrian displays on his profession after retiring at Vienna ATP 500

October 23, 2024

Dominic Thiem competed in an period that includes a few of the biggest stars the ATP Tour has ever seen. But in contrast to a lot of his contemporaries, the Austrian not often appeared overawed by who was standing on the opposite aspect of the online.

Thiem is one in all simply two gamers, alongside Andy Murray, to have registered no less than 5 Lexus ATP Head2Head victories in opposition to every of the ‘Large Three’. He completed his profession with information of 5-2 in opposition to Roger Federer, 6-10 in opposition to Rafael Nadal, and 5-7 in opposition to Novak Djokovic.

So for a participant that additionally reached as excessive as No. 3 within the PIF ATP Rankings and lifted 17 tour-level trophies, together with on the 2020 US Open, the place does his spectacular 16-19 general file in opposition to three of tennis’ biggest icons rank in his profession achievements?

“[It’s] very excessive up there. All of the matches in opposition to the ‘Large Three’, not solely the wins however all of the matches, as a result of I grew up watching them on TV,” Thiem informed ATPTour.com after the ultimate match of his profession on Tuesday on the Erste Financial institution Open in Vienna. “I keep in mind the primary match I actually set my schedule for [to watch] was the 2005 Roland Garros semi-final, Federer in opposition to Nadal.

“Abruptly, I used to be enjoying in opposition to all these guys. All of the matches in opposition to them have been a tremendous expertise and I’m very proud that I had so a lot of them.”

Though Thiem was unable to extend his profession previous the primary spherical in Vienna, the place he fell to Luciano Darderi in straight units, the house favorite nonetheless confirmed flashes of his flamboyant finest in his last skilled match. A few trademark backhand-down-the-line winners specifically had his adoring residence supporters on their toes.

“I actually wished to have a few of these signature pictures as we speak, so I might present them to the followers one final time as an expert participant,” mirrored Thiem. “It was crucial [to me], and I believe individuals appreciated it. The one-handed backhand is a really good shot, which sadly we see much less and fewer, however there are nonetheless fortunately some superb gamers round, like Lorenzo [Musetti], Stefanos [Tsitsipas], Denis [Shapovalov] and others.

“I hope they’ll maintain it going and I actually hope I’m not the final Grand Slam champion with a one-handed backhand for too lengthy.”

So what subsequent for Thiem? The Austrian has loads of off-court pursuits to give attention to, together with his long-held ardour for environmental causes. But he acknowledged it should take a while for him to attain full emotional closure after retiring from the game he has performed for so long as he can keep in mind.

“It’s a mixture of feelings proper now,” Thiem informed Tennis.com’s Matt Fitzgerald. “After all I’m very unhappy, as a result of as we speak the entire Austrian crowd confirmed me all of the feelings and all of the vitality. I’ll miss that undoubtedly. However there may be additionally some reduction, as a result of previously weeks and months I used to be additionally considering lots about how this final match and final week of play was going to appear to be. Now I’m by way of that, so I’m relieved.

“Then in fact I’m nonetheless very emotional from all these years of enjoying tennis. I used to be virtually skilled for 25 years, so it’s a really very long time, and it’s not going to be gone from someday to a different. So, I nonetheless must course of the whole lot, however I’m very glad and I hope the followers are as properly.”