For tennis enthusiasts you can well remember that Austria’s Dominic Thiem retired from the professional tennis tour at his home event, the Vienna Open. Another US Open champion, Thiem, was opposed to his last competitive match against Luciano Darderi. It was a dramatic match since the Austrian player Thiem, who struggles with a wrist problem, lost to his Italian rival 6-7 (6-8), 2-6. There were, however, celebrations as close to 10,000 fans turned up to honor Thiem’s outstanding career.
Thiem has volatile movement, which means he can reach great heights and then face failure as well. However, after winning the recently concluded US Open in 2020, it seemed a good future. That is why a severe wrist injury in 2021 became a direct reason for a critical attempt at revival, which has been a tough battle so far. During this period, he declined from being among the world’s best tennis players to being among the worst in the world, outside the top 100. Still, he continued being revered by the populace for his bear-like fighting spirit and gentlemanly personality on the basketball court.
Another unique aspect was that the Vienna Open was Thiem’s home event of the tournament. It was well supported by fans and other players who wanted the very best for him. ‘It was great, I would really like to thank you for all the sensational years,’ Thiem said, wiping tears from his eyes after receiving a standing ovation from the audience. For fans who began watching him since he joined the professional ranks of golf in 2011, his words struck a chord.
Thiem’s career statistics say volumes about his contribution to tennis. Said to have earned 17 career titles and more than thirty million dollars in his stag, he is acknowledged for changing the face of the game. His biggest victory was at the cancelled due to pandemic U.S.Open in 2020 in straight set against Alexander Zverev in the final. This victory marked a coming of mouth upset win placing him nearer to tennis grandee such as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal.
Now that Thiem is retiring from professional tennis, he has received a lot of good wishes from many tennis stars. Four-minute videos from Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer both celebrating his milestones and reflecting on what a kind person he was in tennis. Current and former players joined a lavish party over the weekend to mark Thiem’s contributions to tennis.
Finally, based on the typology of the winning strokes, Thiem set what may be expected to be a precedent for future generations of players. It shows a process of how one has to persist in order to operate at the top level of athletics. While he moves on to the next phase of his life, deciding on a future beyond professional tennis playing, fans and colleagues will not only remember him for his win but also for his sheer tenacity, focus, and hard work.
While the Vienna Open goes on without the Austrian favorite, Thiem’s spirit will live on beyond the tournament. This is a great story of commitment and desire – something that many individuals could never comprehend, let alone embody to the degree that he did – a great story that should serve as a fitting epitaph for any athlete.