Dominic Thiem: 'It hurts, but it's right' - Former US Open winner brings curtain down on tennis career

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Grand Slam champion Dominic Thiem called time on an illustrious but injury-hit career in Vienna, bowing out at his home tournament after a first-round defeat to Italy's Luciano Darderi. Thiem, who won the US Open in 2020, also reached three other major finals but has struggled to hit those same heights since a wrist injury in 2021, announcing in May that this would be his last season on tour.

Top 5 shots from Thiem's career

Video credit: TNT Sports

Tennis said farewell to another star of the sport on Tuesday as former US Open champion Dominic Thiem bowed out at his home tournament in Vienna.

The Austrian retired at the age of 31 following an injury-hampered final few seasons, saying the move to call time on his career prematurely "hurts" but that "it was the right decision".

His final-ever Tour-level match was a first-round defeat at the tournament to Italy's world No. 42 Luciano Darderi, who won 7-6(6) 6-2.

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Thiem said, "I've had so many nice goodbyes in the last few months, but today I want to say thank you for all the sensational years.

"I am only a part of this career. The whole journey has been an absolute dream and I want this afternoon, this evening to be yours. I couldn't have imagined it any better. Thank you."

Thiem was ranked as high as world No. 3 and enjoyed a remarkable 2020 season, coming back from a two-set deficit to defeat Alexander Zverev in the US Open final, but his career has largely been a case of 'what might have been' after injury issues derailed him.

A promising junior, reaching the world No. 2 ranking, Thiem finished runner-up at the 2011 French Open boys tournament. He later reached the senior final at Roland-Garros twice, losing to Rafael Nadal in 2018 and 2019, as well as losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2020 Australian Open final.

There were emotional scenes in Vienna, a tournament he won in 2019, as fans held up Austrian flags and signs reading "Danke Dominic".

The home favourite treated them to a few moments illustrating his former brilliance, notably on the backhand wing, but let slip a 4-2 lead in the first set and Darderi took control.

Thiem then gave an on-court speech and placed his racquet in a glass case, to be auctioned for charity.

"Those emotions, those feelings. Being in the flow, like I was in the first set. These are the things that will never come back," he said.

"It hurts. But at the same time I was playing some forehands, especially in the second set, and they were not even coming to the net. So it was the right decision."

On Sunday, the tournament held a special ceremony featuring a guard of honour from players including Frances Tiafoe, Matteo Berrettini and Jack Draper, as well as former coach Nicolas Massu, and an exhibition set against Zverev, who he downed for his only major title.

Thiem won 17 ATP titles and enjoyed wins over each of the 'Big Three' of Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer, leading his head-to-head against the Swiss and going toe-to-toe with the best in the sport, particularly on clay. The Austrian became famous for his aggressive, heavy groundstrokes and destructive single-handed backhand and was widely seen as a possible successor to Nadal at Roland-Garros.

But a wrist injury sustained in 2021 forced him onto the sidelines for 10 months and his ranking plummeted, and he has since struggled to achieve the same results or consistency. Announcing in May that 2024 would be his final season on tour, he confirmed last week that he would retire at the ATP 250 in Vienna.

Fellow players paid tribute, with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic appearing in a pre-recorded video message, and the Swiss 20-time Grand Slam champion taking to Instagram to write, "An illustrious career comes to an end. Congratulations, Domi.

"No matter the surface, you always found a way to beat me with your thunderous backhands. But more importantly you did it with grace and sportsmanship."

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