After being sidelined from the Tour for months, a determined Dominic Thiem says he is targeting a rise back to the top of the men’s game by the end of this season.
The former world No.3 hasn’t played a match on the main ATP Tour since June 22nd when at the Mallorca Open he was forced to retire from his match due to a wrist injury. A medical examination later revealed that the Austrian had suffered a ‘detachment of the posterior sheath of the ulnar side of the right wrist.’
Initially the hope was that he would rest for a few weeks before returning to action during the end of last year. However, the recovery took longer than anticipated with a series of setbacks also hindering him. One of which was a minor hand injury which prevented his comeback on the South American clay in February.
Nevertheless, the 28-year-old insists that his wrist is now fine and he is ready to take to the court once again. As for his goals, Thiem has set out an ambitious target of returning back to his best form before the year ends.
“The goal is to return to the absolute top level this year, where I was already. If that happens at the end of the season, that would be sensational,” Thiem told Sport am Sonntag. “The goal is that I can play for the biggest titles and win against everyone.”
Last week the former US Open champion got his first taste of competitive tennis by participating in the Marbella Challenger on the clay. A surface which he has said in the past he feels his most comfortable on. However, it was not a fairytale return for Thiem who lost 6-3, 6-4, to Argentina’s Pedro Cachin.
The streak of bad luck continued for the tennis star who then has to stay in the Spanish city longer than anticipated after testing positive for COVID-19. Once again derailing his plans which included playing in this year’s Marrakech Open.
“I have mild symptoms, I have a bit of a cold, a bit of a cough every now and then, and I’m a bit tired. But all in all relatively mild,” he said on April 4th.
It is unclear as to when Thiem will return to the Tour with him still mulling the prospect of playing at the upcoming Monte Carlo Masters. A tournament where his best run was achieved back in 2018 when he reached the quarter-finals.
“I have to see how I’m doing. I took a break and didn’t do anything. If I’m negative and have the green light I’ll start and see if it works out. If not, Belgrade (from April 18) is the plan,” he outlines.
Then there is the pinnacle of the clay swing, the French Open where Thiem is a two-time finalist. Although last year he suffered a shock first round loss in what was his worst ever performance at the Grand Slam.
“The injury break was too long for that and the injury was too serious. But I believe that I can at least be in good form again, beat many opponents and annoy the absolute top stars a bit,” Thiem said in reference to Roland Garros.
“The whole thing is a long process, a long way back.” He added.
So far in his career Thiem has won 17 ATP titles and reached the final of a further 11. He is the only player in the Open Era to have won the US Open title by coming back from two sets down in the final.
