The curious case of Dominic Thiem as former two time Roland Garros finalist cruelly denied wildcard in final year
ATPTuesday, 14 May 2024 at 18:59
Dominic Thiem won’t be given a send off at least without playing qualifying that he perhaps deserves at Roland Garros after it was confirmed that he will not receive a wildcard after the names were set on Tuesday.
Thiem is the fifth alternate so could feasibly be in the main draw in similar circumstances to Emma Raducanu. But the FFT have been widely slammed after denying a player who has brought so much in Paris over the years the chance for one last send off.
A two-time finalist only denied by two of Rafael Nadal’s 14 wins, he had produced some truly unforgettable moments in his tenure at Roland Garros. Journalist Jose Morgado called the move unforgivable when confirming the names of the wildcards.
In a similar situation to the women’s, it is mostly all French players that benefit from wildcards. Led by Terence Atmane, Richard Gasquet and Pierre Hugues Herbert, only a player apiece from the USTA and Tennis Australia have otherwise benefitted. In the women’s, Emma Raducanu, Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki were among those snubbed. But in that situation, a few decided to seemingly go after wildcards to no avail.
This is despite the FFT being fairly staunch in the past at not picking anyone really other than French players. Only Ajla Tomljanovic and Sachia Vickery were exceptions in the women’s as part of reciprocal agreements. So perhaps in the case of Thiem, it can be construed as a shame but not unexpected.
While he is a two time finalist, the rules are fairly set in stone and similar to Rome, there isn’t much budging for big names. But still a disappointment that a player who leaves the sport in November as a former Grand Slam champion and with a superb career isn’t given the reward. Similar can be said for Diego Schwartzman who isn’t rewarded despite his past exploits.
He seemed to ask for a final wildcard but cheekily in an Instagram reply after Roland Garros reposted his retirement. But nothing came of it.
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Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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