Dominic Thiem's journey in Grand Slam tournaments concluded at the US Open on Monday, on the same Arthur Ashe court where he clinched his sole major title in 2020. The once-ranked third in the world, now plagued by injuries, succumbed to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 loss against American 13th seed Ben Shelton, marking his eighth first-round elimination in his last ten Grand Slams. Thiem had previously declared his plans to retire from tennis during an event in Vienna in October, ending his struggle to fully recuperate from a recurring wrist injury. His career took a significant turn when he overcame a two-set deficit to defeat Alexander Zverev in the 2020 US Open final, signaling a potential shift to compete with tennis legends like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal. This victory also broke a streak of three consecutive losses in Grand Slam finals—to Nadal at the 2018 and 2019 French Open and to Djokovic in a five-set thriller at the 2020 Australian Open. However, his ascent was abruptly halted in the summer of 2021 due to a wrist injury sustained at the Mallorca ATP tournament, which led to severe ligament damage and sidelined him for the remainder of 2021. Thiem only participated in two Grand Slams in 2022, and his ranking plummeted to outside the top 100 for the first time in over a decade.
"I just want to express my gratitude for all the support. It's been a decade since my debut here, and this court has been the stage for my most significant achievements," Thiem remarked, reflecting on his 2020 victory witnessed by only a few due to the Covid pandemic restrictions. "But winning in 2020 felt odd. It was under very stringent conditions, and my success came without any of you present." He expressed his joy at the opportunity to play in front of a live audience and on the iconic court. Entering the US Open, Thiem had secured only two main draw victories all year, the latest being at Estoril in early April. He required a wildcard to participate in New York, with his ranking having further declined to 210. Shelton, who emerged victorious, commended Thiem, a 17-time title winner and over $30 million in prize money earner. After the match, the two exchanged warm words at the net, with Shelton leading the crowd in applauding his opponent.
"I want to congratulate Dom on a remarkable career. Four Grand Slam finals and a title—these are the dreams of kids watching from home," Shelton said, reminiscing about his own aspirations. "It's always a pleasure to see Dominic around; he's always smiling. So many people adore him."
