Tennis fans and legends are witnessing an exodus from its ranks, marking an age where legends must bid farewell. Dominic Thiem recently announced his retirement and has left behind an unforgettable legacy filled with achievements, memorable battles and precious memories that fans and fellow athletes alike will fondly recall for years. Roger Federer even expressed profound feelings towards Dominic after hearing of his departure.
Thiem made his last professional tennis appearance at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna where, despite hopes of an impressive performance, Luciano Darderi defeated him 7-6 (6), 6-2 in the first round and sealed Thiem’s retirement due to wrist injuries at 31 years of age. Federer took to social media in tribute to Thiem by posting an emotional post along with a photograph featuring both.
Federer’s tribute on Instagram included congratulations to Thiem on his illustrious career, mentioning how Thiem managed to outperform him regardless of the playing surface. Federer reminisced about their matches, noting Thiem’s backhand prowess that often gave him the upper hand. The two have faced each other seven times, with Thiem winning five of those encounters, illustrating the competitive edge he maintained over Federer.
Rafael Nadal, another titan of the sport and a close friend of Federer, also extended his emotional greetings to Thiem, thanking him for the memories and contributions to tennis. This came shortly after Thiem expressed disappointment that despite inviting Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic to his farewell party, he hadn’t received a response from them. Nonetheless, Thiem is now focusing on the future, revealing in an interview the reasons behind his retirement decision.
The Reasons Behind Thiem’s Retirement
Thiem recently shared in an honest reflection how his wrist injury made returning to top level tennis increasingly unlikely and encouraged him to consider life outside tennis, acknowledging its inevitable end and finding out what comes next. Thiem further elaborated his decision by noting the excitement associated with discovering what awaits them after this chapter had closed and made up their minds accordingly. He went on to mention how this decision comes as recognition that another chapter has closed as well as exploring possibilities beyond tennis – something the 2020 US Open champion found very inspiring and positive for himself personally and professional career wise.
As Thiem approaches his retirement, both tennis players and fans look forward to his transition and continue watching for signs of continued success off-court. Thiem’s retirement marks both an end and lasting contribution he has had on tennis – inspiring both current players as well as future generations of tennis stars.