Dominic Thiem - return to old strength in 2023?
Dominic Thiem 's development should make Austrian tennis fans confident. The last step back to the top of the world should succeed in the coming weeks and months.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit:
Oct 29, 2022, 01:22 pm
by Nikolaus Fink from the Wiener Stadthalle
Dominic Thiem 's gaze quickly turned to the front after the round of 16 at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. According to the Austrian, he wants to tackle the year 2023 as a machine. "There are definitely still a few percent left," explained the 2020 US Open winner in view of the coming season.
And this could be a much happier one for the Lichtenwörther than the current one. Thiem only celebrated his first victory in 2022 at the beginning of July at the Challenger event in Salzburg. Before that, the former world number three had been struggling with the aftermath of his wrist injury for a long time.
Thiem against Medvedev with good approaches
The past few weeks have been much more enjoyable for Thiem, in Gijon and Antwerp he reached the semifinals. And even when he was eliminated in Vienna, the 29-year-old didn't look bad against Daniil Medvedev . "If I slack off a bit, I'll get the bill against such an opponent immediately," Thiem analyzed his defeat in the Austrian capital.
"I'm definitely on the right track, even if the last step is still missing. But I want to do that in preparation and at the beginning of next year," explained Thiem, who after a ten to 14-day vacation started to set up for next season will go: "It's the first chance since the wrist injury to combine that perfectly, with fitness and with full intensity on the pitch."
Thiem wants to improve the return game
Thiem will focus in particular on his return game. This was one of the biggest problem areas in the past few weeks, explained the 29-year-old. "I have to play the return games better so that I have a little more peace in my service game," explained the Lower Austrian.
Thiem doesn't have to worry about his main draw place at the Australian Open. As the ATP announced, Thiem can replace the two Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami with two other events (Vienna and Salzburg) and thus enjoy additional points. The Austrian will end the year with 561 points and possibly even be in the top 100.