2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem will retire at the end of the 2024 season, he announced Friday.
The Austrian, currently ranked No. 117 in the world, confirmed media reports from his home country from earlier this week in making the announcement, which said that he would play his final tournament on home soil in Vienna in October.
While Thiem stopped short of confirming where his final farewell will be, he confirmed that a recurring wrist injury, which first began to affect his career shortly after his crowning moment in Queens four summers ago, is at the center of his decision.
“I want to tell you a very important, very sad, but also very beautiful message: the 2024 season is going to be my last one. I’m going to finish my career with the end of this season,” he said.
“There are some reasons behind it. Firstly, of course, my wrist is not exactly the way it should be and it’s not exactly how I wanted. The second reason is my inner feeling. I was thinking about this decision for a very long time. I was thinking very carefully about it.
“Of course, I was also thinking about the whole journey as a tennis player, which was incredible. I’ve had success, I’ve won trophies I’ve never dreamt of. The journey was incredible, all the ups and downs. It was an incredible experience which I’m so thankful for.
“But in the end, I came to the conclusion that this decision to end my career by the end of this season is the only right one.”
Four years ago, Thiem had his crowning moment in New York by winning a five-set final over Alexander Zverev after finishing runner-up in three prior Grand Slam finals. Thiem's 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(6) win over Zverev, played without fans during the COVID-19 pandemic, was also historic in that it was the first time a man came from two sets down to win the US Open final in the Open Era. However, Thiem was unable to defend his title a year later due to the onset of his wrist problems, and struggled to reach the same highs since; however, last season, he reached his first ATP singles final in three years.
In January, Thiem told reporters in Austria that he viewed the 2024 season as his "last chance" to return to form he'd previously known, but in March, released a solemn video on social media where he discussed that the pain in his wrist had returned, further complicating that declaration.
As rumors swirled about Thiem's status this week at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, where Thiem reached the semifinals in 2017, his fellow US Open champion Novak Djokovic was effusive in his praise. The Serb beat Thiem in five sets in the final of the 2020 Australian Open.
"I really like Dominic,” Djokovic said. “I think he's a great example of somebody who never gives up after the difficult time he had and still has with injuries, trying to work his way back to the level where he was when he was winning Grand Slams and being in top of the world.
"We are all hoping as tennis fans and colleagues of his that he can find the level because he was always very exciting to watch. Spectacular shots, incredible one-handed backhand, forehands, so much power and intensity he brings on the court."
Thiem reached a career-high ranking of No. 3, and in addition to the US Open, won 16 other ATP singles titles. He also was the runner-up at Roland Garros in 2018 and 2019 to Rafael Nadal, and twice reached the final of the season-ending ATP Finals. He ended five straight seasons inside the ATP's Top 10 from 2016-20.
