ATP: Dominic Thiem's first hopeful use of the right flapping hand
Dominic Thiem is training again with his right punching hand - even if only with soft balls for the time being.
by Stefan Bergmann
last edit: Aug 02, 2021, 09:39 pm
It was a shock for Dominic Thiem as well as for the whole of tennis Austria when the Lower Austrian sustained a painful injury in his right wrist at the lawn tournament on Mallorca more than a month ago. The medical examinations revealed a tear in the tendon sheath and its associated capsule. Five weeks break minimum: Wimbledon, the summer clay court tour in Europe including taking part in the home tournament in Kitzbühel - all canceled.
Team Thiem remains cautiously optimistic
Although the 27-year-old had already started his physical training again after a good two weeks, the use of the right punch was far from an option. Initially, the currently sixth in the world rankings made do with his left hand, but now he can also train with his normal right punching hand, although initially only with significantly softer "soft balls".
"He's getting better every day," Thiem's physiotherapist Alex Stober told the Kronen Zeitung Monday morning. However, one shouldn't expect miracles so quickly. After all, Austria's number one remains cautiously optimistic about a start at the US Open. Thiem is the defending champion at the last Grand Slam tournament of the year and urgently needs counters for the Race to Turin in order to be eligible to play at this year's ATP finals.