"I don't think that even at 100%, I'd be able to beat Rublev yet": Thiem honest on current form despite injury at Australian Open

Dominic Thiem's round-one match at the Australian Open did not go so well but he faced a very tough test in Andrey Rublev who proved better in three sets.

The Austrian had some bright moments in the match but for the most part, was outplayed by Rublev who is simply the better player at the moment. Thiem was fine with the result until he tweaked an abdominal muscle in the second set while attempting a serve. Thiem continued the match and finish it off but lamented the injury after the match.

He said:

"The sun was - I was in a tough position to serve, so I completely changed the toss and something happened after at the abs or at the ribs. It's just a little inflammation or a little strain ... Obviously not the best timing and in the middle of the second set, but it is what it is."

He was complimentary of Rublev as well explaining that even at 100 % he probably would have still lost the match:

"But honestly, I don't think that even at 100% I'd be able to beat Rublev yet, he is top-five seed here - even in a really fit situation. It would be very, very tough to beat him and with the issue like the abs, it's going to be almost impossible."

He also touched upon his comeback and the slow nature of it:

"In the beginning it was way tougher than I expected. Also, I was playing way worse than I was expecting, so it was a tough way back. But things changed, especially towards autumn, towards the last tournament of the year. There I was playing pretty decent. This tournament doesn't change anything because I just had a really tough opponent."