"The improvement is there every single day" - Thiem on his progress

Former World No. 3 Dominic Thiem feels that he is ready to step up his progress when he competes in just his second tour-level event of the season this coming week at the Millennium Estoril Open.

The Austrian suffered a tear in his right wrist last June, which kept him out for the rest of 2021. But he returned to the ATP Tour at the Serbia Open in Belgrade last week, showing signs of promise during his defeat to Australian John Millman in his opening match. He said:

“I feel much better already than Belgrade. The improvement is there every single day. In practice points I’m still having troubles — not with the wrist, the wrist is fine also in points — but [in] all the movement, all the reaction, all the anticipation, I’m still not 100 per cent yet. It will take many more matches until I’m back at the top level there. So I’m not feeling capable of winning this tournament."

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He further said:

“But every match is super important for me now. I’m going to try my best, I’m going to fight 100 per cent from the first to the last point, even when I’m not playing my best tennis, which can happen. And that’s it. I have low expectations this week and also the next ones to come. But obviously I’m trying everything to win and I’m going to see what comes out at the end.”

On his goals he said:

“The first short-term goal to be in a decent shape again is the French Open. I’m definitely not going to be a favourite there, but maybe I can win some matches there and if I face a top opponent, maybe I can give him a hard match. That’s the short-term goal. To make big things, I think I’m going to have to wait until the second part of the season.”