Dominic Thiem‘s storied tennis career is coming to an end. After 13 years on the court, the Austrian star has announced that the 2024 season will be his last. Plagued by a wrist injury since 2021, Thiem has made the difficult decision to retire from the sport he loves. Despite the sadness of seeing such a talented player leave, Thiem is retiring with a sense of gratitude for the incredible experiences he has had on the court. Particularly the “different experience” against the ‘King of Clay’.

In an October 7 interview with Tennis Insider Club, Dominic Thiem opened up about the three finals, French Open in 2018 and 2019 and Australian Open in 2020. “The three finals I lost was completely diffferent experiences,” Theim admitted. “The first one..I was a little bit too happy to be in the finals and then there was no chance against Rafa in Paris.” Thiem advanced to the French Open final, defeating Alexander Zverev and Marco Cecchinato in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. However, he fell to Rafael Nadal in the championship match.

He further mentioned. “And then the next year I had the belief that I can win this finals. And I was playing really good as well. It was 2019, probably the best. Playing wise the best.” Unfortunately for Thiem, Rafael Nadal, won the match in four sets: 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, clinching his 12th title on clay. Even though Dominic himself is quite the maestro on clay, he said, “I lost easy…Yeah, just there, Rafa showed why he is or why he won this tournament 14 times. It was also not so difficult to digest because I really had the feeling I was giving everything I had,” he said.

Knowing he was up against the King of Clay, Dominic Thiem accepted the outcome of the match with grace. As one of the interviewers put it, “It’s never nice to lose, but you have to accept one is the best in history on that surface, and there’s nothing you can do.” The third final came at the 2020 Australian Open.

Thiem, seeded fifth, advanced to his first quarterfinals there. In a thrilling match against world No. 1 Rafael Nadal, Thiem won in four sets, prevailing in three tiebreaks. He then defeated Alexander Zverev to reach his first Grand Slam final on hard courts. Although he led Novak Djokovic two sets to one in the final, Thiem ultimately lost in five sets.

He was further asked if he had any “regrets”. To which, the Austrian quickly replied, “no, zero”. Rightly so, because none of it overshadows Thiem’s impressive achievements over the years even a bit. With 17 ATP singles titles under his belt, including the coveted 2020 US Open, he has proved he could rise to the occasion when it mattered most.

No matter the outcome, Dominic Thiem has always embraced every moment on the court and made friends along the way. Now as he gears up for his final matches of his career, the tennis community, along with legends like Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic, celebrates everything he has achieved.

“One last dance”: Legends wish luck to Theim for his final matches

With his days on the court numbered, Dominic Thiem announced his retirement on social media, prompting heartfelt recognition from the tennis community. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lotterien Sporthilfe Gala 2024. During the presentation, a pre-recorded video featured messages from tennis legends Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer, celebrating his contributions to the sport.

Nadal expressed his admiration, “Hey Domi, how are you doing I just want to congratulate you for this lifetime achievement award, very well deserved, very happy for you, you know how much I admire you, and respect you so I wish you all the best, enjoy tonight and see ya around.”

Next, Djokovic, giving him a special cheer for his match at the Vienna Open, said “Thank you very much for all that you have given to all of us, particularly tennis. I’m glad that you have an opportunity to say goodbye in Vienna. One last dance. I wish you a great tournament, with all family members present, and celebrate it, you deserve it my friend, all the best.” This touching video was concluded with Federer, speaking in German, stating, “Tennis will miss you very, very much.”

These tributes highlight Thiem’s legacy and the respect he held among his peers. As he prepares for his retirement, the tennis community is rallying to support the Austrian star in his last showdowns. Will you be cheering him on?