Former US Open champion and world number three Dominic Thiem has announced that he will be retiring from professional tennis at the end of the 2024 season.
The 30-year-old won his first and only Grand Slam title to date at the 2020 US Open, where he created history with a magnificent comeback triumph over Alexander Zverev in the final.
Thiem became the first man in the Open Era to fight back from two sets down in a US Open final, prior to which he had also taken Novak Djokovic to five sets in the 2020 Australian Open final but ultimately lost to the Serbian.
That same season, the Austrian hit a career-high ranking of world number three, and he also reached back-to-back French Open finals in 2018 and 2019, losing both contests to Rafael Nadal.
However, Thiem has struggled with injuries since his triumph at Flushing Meadows, with a wrist issue proving particularly problematic, and he has since dropped to 117th in the world after briefly finding himself outside the top 350.
After failing to qualify for the Madrid Open, losing 1-6 3-6 to Thanasi Kokkinakis in his second preliminary battle, Thiem announced in a video on social media that he would close the curtain on his career when the season is over.
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— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) May 10, 2024
😠Dominic Thiem officially announces that he will retire at the end of 2024.
Says his wrist problems forced him into the decision... pic.twitter.com/zM7rY5KryE
Thiem: 'My decision to retire is the right one'
The Austrian revealed that ongoing issues with his wrist were a big factor in his decision to retire, saying: "It is a very important, very sad, very beautiful message that the 2024 season will be my last one.
"There are some reasons behind it: firstly, of course, my wrist, it is not the way it should be. The second reason is my inner feeling: I have been thinking about this decision for a very long time.
"I was thinking very carefully about it and the whole journey as a tennis player, which was incredible. I have had success and won trophies I never dreamt of.
"The journey was incredible, it was an incredible experience which I am so thankful for, but at the end I came to the conclusion that this decision to end my career at the end of the season is the right one."
The former world number three has won 17 top-level titles on the ATP Tour, including a 2019 Indian Wells Masters triumph, where he beat Roger Federer in the championship match.
Thiem also finished as runner-up at the 2019 and 2020 ATP Finals and reached his most recent trophy match at last year's Austrian Open, losing in straight sets to Sebastian Baez.
Ben Knapton
