Dominic Thiem: "If necessary, I'll contest the qualification at the Australian Open"
Dominic Thiem is currently in 161st place in the ATP ranking. The Austrian wants to return to the top of the world next year.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Oct 02, 2022, 02:09 pm
The 2022 season is still in full swing, but Dominic Thiem is already looking towards 2023 from time to time. In the coming year, according to the Austrian, he wants to be fully competitive again and play for the biggest titles. For this - the 29-year-old knows this best himself - a better world ranking position would be extremely helpful.
In the Grand Slam tournaments, the 32 seeded players often benefit from trouble-free performances in the first rounds, which towards the end of the tournament can tip the scales given the already great wear and tear. Ask Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal.
Thiem could return to the Challenger tour
Dominic Thiem is currently still a long way from this league, but recent appearances make you want more . This season, the Lower Austrian will also contest the tournaments in Gijon, Antwerp and Vienna, after which he could return to the Challenger Tour. But only if he is not in the top 100 after the Erste Bank Open in the Austrian capital.
If Thiem does not achieve his declared goal for the season, he would probably need a wildcard at the Australian Open in 2023. "If necessary, I'll qualify at the Australian Open. I'm competitive again," said the former third in the world rankings recently at a press conference in Vienna.
Dominance no longer so overwhelming
In any case, the memories of Melbourne are good, in 2020 Thiem reached the final in the Australian metropolis. A similar result early next season would be a big surprise. Although the dominance of Djokovic and Nadal no longer seems as overwhelming as before.
With players like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner or Frances Tiafoe, tennis has a spectacular future ahead of it. These, according to Thiem, "changed the game of tennis, accelerated it, raised it to a new level. Compared to them, the legendary three are or were almost defensive and cautious." Conclusion: "Tennis has developed enormously."