Dominic Thiem has weighed in on the current landscape of men’s tennis, asserting that the challenge of clinching a first major title remains as formidable as ever. According to him, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are proving just as difficult to conquer as the legendary ‘Big Three’—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
As he prepares to retire at the Vienna Open this week, Thiem reflects on a career marked by both triumphs and tribulations, notably his struggles to recover from a wrist injury sustained in 2021. His crowning achievement came in 2020 when he secured the US Open title, having previously reached the finals of the French Open in 2018 and 2019, and the Australian Open in 2020.
Thiem’s career has been shadowed by the dominance of the ‘Big Three,’ and he has faced Nadal in both of his French Open finals, along with Djokovic in the Australian Open. Many consider him unfortunate to have competed during such an illustrious era.
With the ‘Big Three’ slowly stepping back from the sport, there has been speculation that players like Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas might find greater opportunities for their first major victories. However, in a conversation with Tennis Majors, Thiem presented a different perspective.
When asked if he felt unlucky to have competed against Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer, Thiem expressed gratitude for the experience. “I feel really lucky and privileged to have played against them because they are three of the greatest athletes of all time,” he stated. He emphasized that while some believe the landscape will be easier once the legends retire, he disagrees.
“I think it was not easier before, and it didn’t get easier after that,” Thiem explained. “A lot of people said: ‘once they are gone, it’s going to be way easier for everybody in my generation, Daniil [Medvedev], Sasha, and Stefanos.’ But then what happens? Carlos and Jannik emerge, and now you have a similar situation. To win a big title, you have to beat both of them.”
Indeed, Sinner and Alcaraz dominated the Grand Slam scene in 2024, with Sinner clinching the hard court majors and Alcaraz triumphing on natural surfaces. This year marked the first Grand Slam titles for Sinner, while Alcaraz became a four-time major champion.
Thiem concluded, “The situation didn’t really change. I think it’s going to be the same in 15 years or so. People will always say: ‘If Carlos, if Jannik, maybe the new guys coming up retire, it’s going to be easier.’ But new talent will always emerge. That’s just how tennis history unfolds.”