Austrian ace Dominic Thiem is one of the rising megastars on the ATP Tour. On claiming the 2020 US Open title, he etched his name alongside the tennis greats. However, he now looks forward to building a life outside of tennis as well.
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Dominic Thiem says you need more than tennis for your head and brain
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There are numerous sacrifices an athlete must make to reach the world stage in any sport. It was no different for the 27-year-old Austrian, who now wants to lift his leg from the accelerator.
“It wasn’t too much,” Thiem said. “I’ve been chasing that great goal for 15 years. Without looking to the left or to the right.” (All quotes are translated from German to English via Google Translate).
Dominic Thiem realised his dream-come-true moment at the US Open last year, where he defeated Alexander Zverev from two sets down. Following that, critics reasoned that his win came because of the absence of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
However, it does not matter to the Austrian. Instead, he hopes to pick up the pieces he has lost on his way.
“Like I said, I made it. Under strange circumstances, but it’s not that important to me. In some ways, some things have been left out of the way. Private life, dealing with other things, broadening the horizon,” Thiem added.
Conclusively, there is no doubt that tennis would remain his undying passion in life but not the only. “You have to do something for the head, for the brain. It was just tennis. I want to change that a little bit,” he ended.
Which tournament will Thiem play next?
Tennis-wise, 2021 has not been a noteworthy year for Dominic Thiem. Presently, he has a shocking 5-4 win-loss record on the men’s tour.
To improve that, the Austrian decided to take a short break from tennis and withdrew from many prestigious tournaments. Although Thiem hoped to make his comeback at Serbia Open, he will now mark his return at the Madrid Open 2021.
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Moreover, the two-time year-end Masters finalist aims to clinch the French Open title from Rafael Nadal. He even has his eyes set on the Tokyo Olympics this year.
To sum up, a life outside tennis will give Thiem a break from the constant pressure of becoming successful. It might also help him achieve more as he would be able to play with more freedom.
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Do you think Thiem can win the French Open 2021 title?
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