Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic dominated tennis for a good couple of decades. However, there were the likes of Dominic Thiem and others who managed to sneak in the odd Grand Slam title during the ‘Big 3’ era.
Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion, has only managed sporadic play in the last three years due to constant battles with injuries.
Starting 2024, the Austrian announced his decision to call time on his career at the end of the season. He will have his grand farewell at his home tournament, the Vienna Open, later this month.
Speaking to Austrian portal Huete, Thiem said that while he has asked Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic to be a part of the event, he has yet to hear back from them.
“I invited Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to my farewell party. Nobody has contacted me yet,” Dominic Thiem said.
Shifting focus to his fascination with tennis and Vienna, where he watched his first tennis match, Thiem said he was happy that things have come “full circle” for him. He added that it was always clear in his mind that he would want to end his career at the Vienna Stadthalle.
“I watched the exhibition doubles and later sat in the hall from the first to the last match. It was always clear that I would stop here. I am happy that things are now coming full circle. There will also be a sense of relief,” Thiem said.
“That spark of ambition is still there” – Dominic Thiem on the hard decision to call time on his career
Dominic Thiem said in the same interview that while he still has the spark to play tennis, his inability to play consistently has been problematic. He added that his level drops significantly if he is not playing competitive matches in continuation.
The Austrian went on to express hope at being able to play at a decent level in front of his home fans during his farewell tournament.
“I want to play at a decent level in Vienna. That spark of ambition is still there,” he continued. “My problem is that my level drops quickly if I don’t play much. I noticed that after Kitzbühel.”
Thiem last played at the 2024 US Open. He failed to clear the opening round hurdle, coming up short against 13th seed Ben Shelton 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
