US OPEN

August 26, 2024

Dominic Thiem

Press Conference

B. SHELTON/D. Thiem

6-4, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Dominic, congratulations on a great US Open career.

DOMINIC THIEM: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Including one Grand Slam title.

DOMINIC THIEM: Thank you very much.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Dominic, were you able to focus on the match satisfactorily or were there too many things flying around in your head, and what were they?

DOMINIC THIEM: No, I was able to focus pretty well on the match. That was what I was also trying to do.

But of course, I mean, everything was a bit different. I tried to enjoy, I tried to, like, really soak up every moment in this stadium. It was really nice. But I think I was able to focus on the match, but of course obviously I'm not having that level anymore what is required to really go head to head with players like Ben.

This I also knew before, so of course I tried to enjoy as much as possible, but still, I was focusing on the match pretty good.

Q. There are some players when they are approaching the end of their careers they are approaching it with fear, I guess, and not necessarily happy about it. That was Murray this year, for example. With you, it seems like you've kind of been able to accept it and almost embrace, and, as you said, enjoy it. How were you able to come to that decision?

DOMINIC THIEM: Yeah, I'm happy. You know, it's like I was struggling enough, like, the last years, especially since I was not able to come back to my level, but once I took the decision this year in March, from this moment on, I was happy about it.

Obviously I was also able to kind of prepare already this new chapter what is coming soon. Honestly, like, I always, I mean, I loved playing on tour, and I was very patient about it, but honestly, I also always really enjoyed to be home and to have, as much as it was possible, kind of a normal life at home. And that's why I always, I really look forward to this one now, that the normal life is now coming.

That's why I think it's not that difficult for me, and that's why I'm really also happy with my decision.

Q. I just wanted to check, is this your last match or are there other events this season you plan to play? I also just wanted to ask, what do you think you'll miss the most about being on tour?

DOMINIC THIEM: There is going to be actually, like, two more events. UTS in Frankfurt and then Vienna, of course. Some matches at the UTS and then the last ATP Tour in Vienna.

I think that the thing I will miss the most is, like, this feeling after winning a great match, it's not really comparable to anything else. Like, you don't really get this feeling, I mean, in my case, in life outside of tennis, because it's, like, a real high. It's like being on drugs a little bit, I guess.

I mean, I know that probably this feeling is not coming back again, so this is for sure also the one I'm going to miss the most.

Q. Congratulations. When you think about it, was it more physical injuries that prevented you getting back to your level, or psychologically it's pretty difficult, I know, as well, to get back? What was it more for you, or was it a combination of both?

DOMINIC THIEM: Yeah, it always comes together. But I have the feeling that once I got back in a very good mental state, the injury happened. Then the feeling, especially on the forehand, never came back like it was before. Of course, due to that, I was struggling also mentally a lot, because it was very difficult to accept.

So those two things, mentally and physically, always come together. But yeah, I think the basic reason why I'm here now retiring pretty young is still the bad luck with the wrist injury. But again, like, I'm really happy with the career I had before. I never expected that it's gonna be that successful, so I don't have really any regrets, and I'm good with that.

Q. Thank you for all you have given. You had the opportunity to play all these great players of our era. Who would you say the toughest is and why? If you could change one thing in our sport, what would that be?

DOMINIC THIEM: Yeah, I had really legendary matches against the best players in our era, maybe the best players in history. Each of them is really unique. It always, like, I have the feeling it depends on the day, it depends on the surface who is actually the toughest to play.

I had matches against them where I was winning, against each of them, but I also had matches against each of them where I didn't have any chance and where they made me look like almost a beginner. I mean, each of them is unique.

Wow, which thing I would do to change, nothing coming to my mind right now (smiling).

Q. Congratulations on a great career. You mentioned normal life coming up for you. What are you most looking forward to about that normal life?

DOMINIC THIEM: Right now is not to travel that much anymore. I think that it's very intense and very demanding. In tennis especially there is so much traveling around.

The older I got, the tougher it got for me. Yeah, after being home for just a few days to again, at the airport, step on a plane and travel to the next destination.

Yeah, to really get used to a life basically in one place or at home, that's what I'm looking forward the most.

Q. Do you have any thoughts you can share with us how you might use the next chapter of your life, second career plans, anything like that?

DOMINIC THIEM: Yeah, I really want to go more into sustainability. I already have one energy community with solar energy. That's one very important topic for me. That is one side.

On the other side also I want to stay in tennis, of course. We have our academy already in Austria, and it would be amazing if players from there are coming through one day and also competing in tournaments like US Open or in the biggest tournaments in the world. This would be really, really nice, and would be also the goal, of course.

Q. Congrats on a great career. With your career here in New York specifically, I wonder if you could tell me why was it a special place for you? It's a difficult place for a lot of people to play, and yet you were pretty solid here from your debut, then you had some great matches like the five-setter with Delpo, with Rafa, and of course the title. What does that mean to you and what does it mean to have those memories in New York?

DOMINIC THIEM: Yeah, I think everything came from the start, from the first year I played here. I came through for the first time in the second week of a slam. From that moment on I always had a lot of confidence when I came here, because the two junior appearances were pretty bad. I lost twice in the first round, and I was struggling also with conditions.

Then when I came first here as a pro, I straightaway played fourth round, and that gave me a boost for all the upcoming years. I think it's like that. If you have really good memories or if you have a good start at something, this really gives you positive vibes for the future. It was like that, because like the only really bad year I had here was 2019 when I lost in the first round and when I was not 100% healthy.

But other than that, I almost only had great highlight years, like you said, 2017 against Delpo, which was back then a really, really tough loss to handle, but now, it's a legendary match, which I really like to remember actually, and then of course the epic match with Rafa was great.

But still, I mean, 2020 is above everything and is also above everything else in my tennis career.

Q. Speaking of Rafa, I mean, he's also on the very back of his career. Have you talked with him at all about the future, just kind of what it's like after tennis? You two are in similar situations.

DOMINIC THIEM: No, not yet, because the last time I saw him was in January in Brisbane, and back then, I don't think, or I think the situation back then was that I wanted to come back fully, he wanted to come back fully, so it was a completely different situation than it is now.

Since then, I haven't seen him. I was in Mallorca in his academy in March for a practice week, but he was I think in Indian Wells or something. So I haven't seen him for quite a while.

Q. What do you make of having beaten Novak five times? What are your thoughts about the significance of that in your career?

DOMINIC THIEM: Well, now it's amazing memories, but back then, it was really important to me to know back then that when I step on court against Novak or against the other best players that I'm able to win and not only a one-hit wonder but quite a lot of times.

Of course when you face them, it's always in a quite deep stage of the tournament, so each victory or all victories against them were in really important stages of the tournament, so they are all special. It always meant that I go into semis or finals of a Grand Slam or ATP Finals or Masters 1000 tournaments, so yeah, every victory against him was very nice and special.