Dominic Thiem admitted «the fire went out» after he clinched his first Grand Slam title at the 2020 US Open. Thiem, 29, went 0-3 in his Grand Slam finals before beating Alexander Zverev in the 2020 US Open final. Since then, Thiem has not won any titles, but it should be noted that there was an absence of 10 months due to a wrist injury.
“He came out after the US Open. But we’ve already talked about that. I don’t want to blame myself for that. There are players who celebrate great success who are energized by it, who are pushed even further to perform even better, who are immediately excited to win the next Grand Slam title.
It wasn’t like that for me, I’m a different guy. It took me a while to accept that, that I’m a little harder on myself than on others. What I certainly also had to learn is that it only depends on me and I have to regulate it myself,» Thiem told the Kronen Zeitung, via eurosport.
Thiem believes he can be a top player again
Last March, Thiem returned from a long layoff due to injury. It’s been almost a year since Thiem returned and he is now ranked 96th in the world. Thiem is clearly far from his best, but he is hopeful that he can get back to his best if he works hard.
It’s still there. Even if it should only be there very small, it is there, and I’m sure it will grow back. When he’s gone I won’t be sitting here anymore I would stop and live a different life. But the belief is definitely there.
The only thing I can do is keep working and training. It’s a difficult situation, definitely. It’s not always easy for me, which has been the last year and a half since the US Open. What I have to do, like today, is give it my all, fight hard from the first to the last ball.
So I definitely have a chance to get back to a very good level. This is also the only chance,» Thiem said.
