Serbia’s legendary tennis star
Novak Djokovic has paid
tribute to Austria’s
Dominic Thiem after his Grand Slam career ended
on Monday. The 30-year-old was once regarded as one of the most talented men’s tennis players in the singles category. He was also tipped to become
the next big thing once the original ‘Big Three’ will finish his career.
However, the 30-year-old suffered a nasty wrist injury in
2021, which changed the course of his career. He never managed to get back to his very best. Thiem eventually decided earlier this year that he would retire from professional tennis after the end of the current season.
On Monday, the Wiener Neustadt-born lost in the opening
round of the
US Open to America’s Ben Shelton in straight sets with a score of
6-4, 6-2, 6-2. That result effectively ended Thiem’s Grand Slam career as he is
certain not to take part in another mega-event as a professional tennis player.
Former world number one Serbia’s Djokovic was quoted in a report
where he heaped praise on Thiem and congratulated him for having an impressive
Grand Slam career. The former world number one also highlighted that he was sad
to see such a talented player leave the sport at such a young age because of a
fitness concern.
“Well, I would like to congratulate him on a great Grand
Slam career,” he said. “One of the nicest guys, really, on the tour for many
years. He's been respected. He's been admired. He's been loved by his peers, by
colleagues, by everyone on the tour. Of course, fans. He put in so much work
over the years, and I think he was a great example for many players that see
what's happening, so to say, behind the scenes. He always puts in the extra
work, and the tenacity and intensity that he brings on and off the court in everything
he does is something really remarkable. It's really unfortunate for a player of
his caliber that was really almost on top of the world, and being a top-3,
top-5 player for years to go through the injury of the wrist that really made
him struggle. He was never the same player after that. It's unfortunate.”
Thiem finished his career by winning one Grand Slam, the US Open, after beating Germany’s Alexander Zverev in a five-set thriller with a score of 2–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6. One of Thiem's most impressive achievements has been defeating all players in the ‘Big Three’ — Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic — at least five times in professional tennis.