In an interview on Roland Garros’ official website, the 2020 US Open champion acknowledged the reason why that serious wrist injury occurred in mid-2021 and sidelined him for 10 months.
It has been a year and a half since Dominic Thiem’s serious injury Mallorca Open 2021. A wrist injury that he recovered from 10 months, from which he has already recovered physically, but which has robbed him of the privileged positions he held at that time on the track ATP.
In an interview with the official media Roland Garrosthe Austrian tennis player revealed what he believed to be the main cause of said ailment, which stemmed from an admitted lack of motivation several months after winning. US Open. In addition, Thiem once again made it clear that his split from Nicolas Massú was for the best for both of them, stating that he is once again excited about his future in racquet sports.
Confident to return to his best level
«There have been many bad times, but deep down I always believed that there was still something inside of me, that he at least wanted to give me another chance. If I hadn’t felt it, I probably would have stopped playing.«.
A moment of hurt
«Looking back, I can say it was no accident. After the US Open I had serious problems staying motivated when training or traveling. I exercised less than ever. After losing in the first round at Roland Garros to Andújar, I started working hard again. Maybe my body had lost that habit after several months of not giving it my all. So probably it was no accident. It’s hard to accept, but when I had these motivational problems, I saw this injury as a good opportunity. Somehow I was happy to get six or seven weeks off before trying again.«.
to lose fear, always difficult
«It took me a long time to do it. I think I’ve hit no limits for half a year. Now I’m not afraid anymore, but it took about a year to master it«.
Separation from Massú
«I think it was a good thing for both parties. When we talked after the Estoril game, Nico (Massú) told me that if we hadn’t talked about it, he would have done it that night. It doesn’t matter how good or successful the working relationship was. It’s always time to start a new phase. And that’s exactly what’s happening now. I feel good, I’m very happy with everything that Nico and I built in those years, but also with what’s to come«.
Change in tennis with the new generation
«Sometimes I feel like it’s changed, the boy has changed. I saw it when I was injured and I saw them on TV and when I played again. These guys have evolved a lot. I was away for about ten months and I can tell they are working hard and playing a lot of games. The goal is to reach this level again.«.
