(VIDEO): Dominic Thiem receives warm reception at Vienna Open from Boris Becker, Matteo Berrettini, Frances Tiafoe

Dominic Thiem received a warm reception in the Vienna Open ahead of the opening round clash. The 31-year-old earlier announced that he will retire from professional tennis at the end of the ongoing campaign on the home soil.

Thiem received a warm reception in his final event as he walked into the arena in the presence of a lot of tennis stars, including the likes of former world number one Germany’s Boris Becker, Italy’s Matteo Berrettini and America’s Frances Tiafoe. The video was shared on the official account of the ATP on the social media platform X.

Thiem was once regarded as amongst the most talented players in men’s tennis and was looked at as someone who was going to take the reigns once the original ‘Big Three’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic would leave the sport. However, a serious wrist injury halted his progress and he never managed to regain his previous form.

The former world number three had incredible numbers between 2016 and 2019, where he won 202 out of the 290 matches with a win percentage of nearly 70. This year, Thiem played just 12 matches where he managed to win twice and suffered 10 defeats in the process.

Thiem will finish his career as a one-time Grand Slam winner. He lifted the US Open title in 2020 after beating Alexander Zverev of Germany in a five-set thriller with a score of 2–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6. Other than that, Thiem also played in the final of three Grand Slams. His first defeat in the final of a major event came in the French Open in 2018 where he came second-best against Spain’s Rafael Nadal in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Twelve months later, he once again lost to Nadal in the final at the Roland Garros with a score of 6–3, 5–7, 6–1, 6–1. Thiem’s last defeat in the final of a Grand Slam came in the Australian Open 2020 where Djokovic ended on a victorious note in a five-set thriller with a score of 6–4, 4–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4.