Dominic Thiem recently vowed that the 2024 tennis season would be his last if his physical state and match results did not improve. On Friday the 30-year-old Austrian confirmed that he will, in fact, retire this fall.
Thiem suffered a wrist injury in June of 2021 at the grass-court event in Mallorca and never fully recovered. He missed the remainder of that season and did not win another ATP-level match until July of 2022. Since then he has never been ranked higher than No. 72 in the world.
“Hello everybody,” Thiem said in a video posted on social media. “I have to tell you a very important, a very sad, but very beautiful message that the season 2024 is going to be my last one. I am going to finish my career at the end of the season.
“There are some reasons behind it. Firstly my wrist is not exactly the way it should be and it is not exactly the way how I want it and the second reason is my inner feeling. I was thinking about this decision. I was thinking about this decision for a very long time. I was thinking very carefully about it. I was thinking about the whole journey as a tennis player which was incredible.
“I have had success, I have won trophies I never dreamt of. The journey was incredible, all the ups and downs. It was an incredible experience which I was so thankful for and in the end I came to the conclusion that this decision to end my career by the end of the season is the only right one. I am very happy with it and I am super excited for everything that is coming next. For a lot more information and all the talks with my family and all the talks about my career and my past, check out my vlog–which is coming out tomorrow.”
Thiem will presumably call it quits at the indoor tournament Vienna, which takes place October 21-27.
[yop_poll id=”1100″]
[yop_poll id=”1090″]
what could have been
So sad 🙁
I feel sadness. Always liked Thiem and his career could have unfolded in a different way. Love his intensity and his personality. But if he’s happy with the decision, that’s all that matters.