Austria’s Dominic Thiem never lacked for flair. The exaggerated windmill windup on his forehand produced blistering torque and power, a propulsive topspin drive that was among the heaviest shots in the game.
Thiem’s one-handed backhand, a stylish stroke sadly becoming a relic of the past, was as baroque as the most gilded of Viennese cafes. And, for fans of tennis aesthetics, every bit as enjoyable to revel in.
“When I think back on my career, the main emotions are really big gratitude for everything I was able to experience,” Thiem said earlier this year. “I was very lucky to stay healthy [most of] the time to be able to realise basically all my dreams. And yeah, I was never expecting a career like that when I was young. All I wanted was to be a professional tennis player, whatever comes with it.”
But Thiem didn’t just have style. He had substance. The Austrian won a major, the 2020 US Open. He also reached the final of three other Slams; won 17 ATP singles titles; achieved a career-high PIF ATP Ranking of No. 3; and was ensconced in the Top 10 for the better part of six years.
He was a top talent, until he could no longer be, his career disrupted by a serious wrist injury. Thiem retired today at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna at the relatively young age of 31.
Photo/DominicThiem/X
ATP contributed to this column