Dominic Thiem has officially hung up his racquet, marking the end of a significant chapter in men’s tennis after playing his final match at his home tournament in Vienna. The Austrian star faced off against 22-year-old Italian Luciano Darderi, suffering a straight-sets defeat in the first round of the Vienna Open ATP 500 event.
Thiem’s retirement adds him to a growing list of tennis legends stepping away from the sport. Earlier this year, Andy Murray announced his retirement during the Paris Olympics, while Roger Federer took his leave in September 2022. Looking ahead, Rafael Nadal is expected to conclude his illustrious career after next month’s Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, likely having played his last singles match.
At the height of his career, Thiem was a formidable opponent on the ATP Tour, challenging the dominance of the Big Three—Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. The 31-year-old clinched the 2020 US Open title, reached a career-high ranking of No. 3 in March 2020, and secured a total of 17 ATP titles. His impressive resume also includes back-to-back runner-up finishes at the French Open in 2018 and 2019, as well as a finalist position at the Australian Open in 2020.
Between 2010 and 2020, Thiem and Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion, were the only male players to capture Grand Slam titles outside of the Big Three and Stan Wawrinka. Thiem’s competitive edge is evident in his head-to-head records against these icons: 5-7 against Djokovic, 6-10 against Nadal, and an impressive 5-2 against Federer. He is one of only two players, alongside Murray, to achieve five or more wins against each member of the Big Three.
Notably, Thiem has the distinction of defeating Federer on all four surfaces: clay, grass, outdoor hard courts, and indoor hard courts. Only Nadal and Djokovic share this remarkable feat against the Swiss maestro.
Reflecting on his career, Thiem revealed that competing against Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer played a role in the wrist injury that derailed his career in 2021. “That contributed to the injury, definitely,” he shared with The Athletic. “I was competing with the three greatest of all time. That was intense.”
He elaborated on the physical toll, stating, “Over the years, I always had a big load and intensity in my practice. Doctors and many others have said that eventually, the wrist broke due to all the shots and hard practice I put in over the years.”
Thiem expressed gratitude for being part of such a competitive era. “I consider myself lucky to be in that timeline with the Big Three and all the other great players,” he said. He also noted the unique path he took to success, adding, “I came up into the top 100 later than most; they were around 18, whereas I was 20 and a half. I never thought it would be possible to become a Grand Slam champion and reach No. 3 in the world.”