In a heartfelt finale to his illustrious career, Austria's Dominic Thiem, a former US Open champion, was defeated by Luciano Darderi with scores of 6-7 (6-8), 2-6 at the Vienna Open on October 22. This match marks the end of Thiem's professional tennis journey on his home ground, following a prolonged battle with a wrist injury.
Earlier this year, Thiem announced his retirement from the sport, deciding to step away after years of struggling to fully recover from the injury he sustained in 2021. Despite his best efforts, the wrist issue proved too formidable to overcome.
The evening of Tuesday saw 22-year-old Italian Luciano Darderi challenging Thiem on the court. Initially, Darderi appeared to be struggling, but he clinched the first set in a tight tie-break. As the match progressed, the world number 42 found his rhythm, overpowering Thiem in the second set with a decisive 6-2 victory.
After the match, Thiem addressed the nearly 10,000-strong crowd with deep gratitude. \"I would really like to thank you for all the sensational years, because of course I am only a part of this all, the whole career,\" he expressed. \"A huge thank you to everyone for their support over the years. The whole journey was an absolute dream,\" he added, receiving standing ovations in return.
Thiem, who once soared to the rank of world number three, entered the Vienna Open with a wildcard and is currently ranked 318th. His career began to decline after his crowning achievement in 2020 when he triumphed over Alexander Zverev in the US Open final, a victory that took place behind closed doors during the pandemic. Over his career, Thiem amassed a total of 17 titles, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of tennis.
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Austria's Grand Slam winner Dominic Thiem ends career in Vienna
cgtn.com
