Thiem bows out - A look back at an extraordinary career

Dominic Thiem and professional tennis are officially over.

Beaten in straight sets by Luciano Darderi in the first round of the ATP 500 in Vienna on Tuesday (7-6, 6-2), the former world number 3 has put away his rackets for good.

Inconceivable a few years ago, this decision, at just 31 years of age, seems rather logical.

Far from leaving his fans indifferent, the Austrian has managed to leave his mark on a whole generation of players and followers.

As much appreciated for his aggressive, aesthetic tennis as for his uncommon sense of fair play, 'Dominator' is likely to leave quite a void behind him.

Less than 24 hours after his last career match, it's time to look back at the immense career of the 2020 US Open winner.

- Thiem, a prodigy from the cradle

Dominic Thiem was destined to become a great player. Born in Wiener Neustadt, just outside Vienna, he began his tennis training at an early age.

Playing at the tennis academy in Vienna, where both his parents work, his potential quickly became apparent.

Sensing his potential, Gunter Bresnik, former coach to Becker, McEnroe and Lecomte, took him on as early as 2002, when 'Domi' was just 9 years old. A collaboration that would ultimately last 17 years (2002 to 2019).

Bresnik quickly sought to develop his protégé's game. Inviting him to adopt a one-handed backhand, he gradually pushed the Austrian to opt for increasingly offensive tennis.

- A promising start

After a successful stint in the junior ranks (including a final at Roland Garros) and a number of appearances on the ATP circuit, Thiem finally turned professional at the age of 19, in 2012.

Quickly winning his first titles on the secondary circuit, his rise was meteoric. In just two years, he reached 137th place in the world (+503 places).

More urgent than ever, the Austrian is about to take another step forward in 2014. With 35 victories that year, including a number of notable firsts (defeat of Wawrinka in Madrid and eighth-place finish at the US Open), he pushed open the doors to the top 100 and even reached 39th place in the world.

In 2015, he slowed down a little, but continued to win enormously, eventually claiming his first three ATP titles (Nice, Umag, Gstaad) and joining the world's top 20.

- When 'Domi' becomes 'Dominator' (2016-2019)

From 2016 onwards, Thiem changed category completely. He quickly breaks into the top 10 and achieves his first major Grand Slam results.

In 2016 alone, he defeated Nadal on clay (6-4, 4-6, 7-6 in Buenos Aires), Federer on grass (3-6, 7-6, 6-4 in Stuttgart), reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros (beaten by Djokovic) and won four more main-court titles.

From then on, 'Dominator' established himself as one of the world's top 10 players, a position he held for five long years.

Thereafter, the Austrian stabilized at the top of the world rankings, but never reached the very top.

In 2017 and 2018, he held his own without really succeeding in challenging the best players on the planet. Except on ochre.

Increasingly impressive on the surface, he even reached the final of the French Open in 2018, only to be stopped by Nadal.

- Domi, the giant

In 2019, something changes. A glass ceiling has been broken.

Buoyed by much more aggressive tennis, the Viennese now plays very close to his line, depriving his opponents of space and time.

After winning the title at Indian Wells in March, beating Federer in an exceptional final (3-6, 6-3, 7-5), he went on to enjoy a top-class clay-court season.

Carrying off Barcelona without dropping a set, he came closer than ever to winning the title in Paris. He toppled Djokovic in the semi-finals after a monumental match, and even played Rafael Nadal on equal terms for over 2 hours in the French Open final.

In the end, he exploded under the onslaught of the Majorcan, but seems to have made an appointment for the future (6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1).

In 2020, he will finally reach the Holy Grail. In a year disrupted by Covid-19, Thiem will first reach the Australian Open final, losing to Djokovic after a 4-hour battle (6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4).

Not giving up hope, he finally added his name to the list of Grand Slam winners in New York that same year.

In a US Open played behind closed doors and marked by Novak Djokovic's disqualification, the Austrian upset Alexander Zverev in a dramatic final (2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6).

- The unpredictable descent into hell

It was from 2021 onwards that the unexpected began to happen.

Just when everyone was seeing Dominic Thiem as a champion capable of winning it all, the Austrian was about to fall apart.

After a burn-out, he suffered a terrible wrist injury in June 2021, from which he never recovered.

With the exception of a final in Kitzbuhel, 'Domi' would never again thrill his fans, destroyed by an intractable injury.

After three years of interminable battle, 2024 will finally be the year of acceptance.

His body, and more specifically his wrist, simply couldn't take the strain of life as a professional player.

And so ends the story of Dominic Thiem, the tennis star who should never have been so short-lived.

Just one more thing to say. From all tennis fans: "Danke Domi!"