Dominic
Thiem has voiced his thoughts after not receiving a wild card for the French
Open. The former Grand Slam champion debuted successfully in the tournament's
qualifying rounds, aiming for a final main draw appearance for one of the best
clay court players of recent years.
At 30 years
old and with 17 ATP titles, Thiem recently announced his retirement from
professional tennis. The Austrian has achieved significant milestones,
including winning the 2020 US Open and the Indian Wells Masters 1000, along
with reaching the finals of the 2018 and 2019 French Open and the 2020
Australian Open.
Thiem overcomes first challenge towards main draw
Thiem
recently competed in the qualifying rounds of the Madrid Open and Monte-Carlo
Masters but was defeated in both, failing to make it to the main draw.
Additionally, he has only secured one win in his last eight Grand Slam
appearances.
This
Monday, the Suzanne Lenglen court was packed with spectators eager to see Thiem
(No. 131), who fought back from a set down to secure victory against world No.
228 Franco Agamenone (3-6, 6-3, 6-2) in 2 hours and 19 minutes. His next
challenge will be against Finland’s Otto Virtanen (No. 156), with a potential
final qualifying round against either Giulio Zeppieri (No. 148) or Adrian
Andreev (No. 236).
Thiem and Nadal in the 2018 French Open Final. The Spaniard won 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
Thiems perspective on not receiving a Wild Card
After his
hard-fought victory, Thiem was asked for his opinion on not receiving a wild
card from the organisers. The Austrian downplayed the significance,
acknowledging that he hadn’t performed well enough recently to earn direct
entry into the draw:
“Honestly,
I had a long time to be in a good ranking. I had enough tournaments and enough
time to climb up the ranking and I didn’t do it, so I kind of didn’t deserve it
and that’s fine. I had 10 main draw appearances in the last years so that’s
more than enough.”
Thiem is
one of the most successful players at Roland Garros over the past decade. He
reached the finals twice, in 2018 and 2019, but was defeated by Rafael Nadal on
both occasions. He also reached the semi-finals in 2016 (lost to Djokovic) and
2017 (lost to Nadal), compiling a 28-10 record at the tournament (74%).
Given his
announced retirement at the end of this season, many expected the French Open
organisers to grant Thiem a wild card for the main draw. However, the
organisers allocated six of their eight wild cards to local players, with one
going to Aussie Walton through an agreement with the Australian Federation and
another to Nicolas Moreno de Alboran through an agreement with the USTA.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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