“Definitely Not Fit Enough”: Dominic Thiem Ruled Out From Clay-Court Season in April

Following a series of unsatisfactory performances, Dominic Thiem had taken a step back from the ATP Tour after Dubai Open 2021. Subsequently, the Austrian then looked forward to making his comeback at the Serbia Open. However, he has now withdrawn from it, citing pain in his knees.

The withdrawal from Belgrade summed up his first quarter of the 2021 season. So far, the 27-year-old has a disturbing 5-4 win-loss record on the men’s tour.

On the brighter side, the current World No. 4 revealed that the knee pain does not look serious. Consequently, he is aiming to return at the Mutua Madrid Open 2021.

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Dominic Thiem opens up on his Serbia Open withdrawal

Dominic Thiem, 27, is one of the most consistent players on the ATP Tour. As a result, he won his reward as the US Open title last year. But as much as 2020 was good for him, 2021 is starting to become his nightmare.

The Austrian ace updated his fans about the Serbia Open withdrawal on his official website. Moreover, the message showed a hint of his frustration with not being able to play.

“2021 just doesn’t want to get going. Unfortunately, I will have to cancel my start at next week’s tournament in Novak Djokovic’s hometown Belgrade. My knee hurts, and I went to see a doctor. It is not a big issue, but I need to take care of it. I am definitely not fit enough to play next week,” Dominic wrote.

Furthermore, Thiem revealed that he does not want to delay his return more than Madrid Open. He also hopes to play proper tennis from May, when the tournament in Spain will begin.

Read More: Roger Federer to Reportedly Skip Mutua Madrid Open 2021 Ahead of French Open 2021

Thiem sets his eyes on the French Open 2021 title

Despite running out of luck, Dominic understands that it is part and parcel of the sport. Thus, he is still confident in working towards his goal for the summer.

Thiem added, “There is no doubt, the big goal till the summer is the French Open – in Paris, I must be at my best.” The 2018 and 2019 finalist at the Roland Garros would love to go all the way this year. But for that, he will need to build up his game from Madrid.

Hopefully, the pain is benign, and we will see Dominic shining again in two weeks. For regular updates on Serbia Open, you can visit the tournament’s official Instagram and Twitter handles.

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