August 26, (THEWILL) – Former world number three, Dominic Thiem’s Grand Slam career concluded at the US Open on Monday. The Austrian player lost to American 13th seed Ben Shelton in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, on Arthur Ashe Court.
Thiem, who won his only major title at the 2020 US Open, had previously announced his intention to retire from tennis in Vienna this October. The 30-year-old has struggled with a persistent wrist injury since 2021, which derailed his career after reaching four Grand Slam finals.
The match marked Thiem’s eighth first-round exit in his last 10 Grand Slam appearances. His ranking has dropped to 210, requiring a wildcard entry for the tournament. Thiem expressed gratitude to the fans, acknowledging the unique circumstances of his 2020 victory during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shelton praised Thiem’s career achievements, which include 17 titles and over $30 million in prize money. The American player led the crowd in applauding Thiem’s contributions to tennis.
Thiem’s retirement marks the end of an era for a player once considered a potential challenger to the dominance of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal. His career highlights include runner-up finishes at the French Open in 2018 and 2019 and the Australian Open in 2020.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
