Dominic Thiem: Will not return to training until the beginning of November
Dominic Thiem specified his plans for his return to the ATP tour in an interview with ORF. The Austrian will be able to start training at the end of October at the earliest.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Aug 19, 2021, 02:53 pm
An announcement like a bang, that's how Dominic Thiem's statement on social media on Wednesday can be understood. In it, the Austrian announced that, unlike initially assumed, he would no longer be able to return to the ATP tour in the calendar year 2021. The reason: Thiem had injured his wrist again and had to swap the tennis racket for the splint on his arm again.
After the pain in the wrist returned a few days after resuming training, the Lower Austrian turned to his treating doctors again: "We decided to try conservative therapy to give the injury more time to heal," Thiem explained in his statement. He is very disappointed to miss the US Open and the rest of the 2021 season. But only a few days ago he felt almost the same pain with a forehand in training as he did in Mallorca, as the 27-year-old explained to ORF .
Thiem decides with foresight
The Austrian does not want to return to the tour until he is "completely fit" again. A goal that is currently a long way off, as statements by the Lichtenwörther suggest. "The examinations have shown that the tendon sheath has still not healed," said Thiem. A return to training is therefore only possible at the end of October / beginning of November, emphasized the US Open winner from 2020.
The Austrian has already chosen the right destination for this stony path - namely the Australian Open in January of next year. However, these are an "ideal". This time Thiem does not get involved in daydreams that would have been a run at the US Open in less than two weeks. Rather, far-sightedness dominates the former world number three: "I still have many years ahead of me in my career and will only come back when I'm completely fit and in perfect shape for tough matches."
Thiem six more weeks with rail
In the short term, Thiem is now back to pure conditioning and fitness training. In any case, the Austrian will hardly be able to strain his chopping hand for the next six weeks, as long as it is surrounded by the splint that the 27-year-old had recently worn for several weeks. After that, the program would include tightening and stabilization exercises before you could think about tennis again.
Thiem is by no means worried that the Lower Austrian will suffer a similar fate as Juan Martin del Potro, who had to struggle with an injury to his wrist for just as long. Rather, the stories of players with similar complaints are a glimmer of hope for the world number seven: "I think Del Potro was a little different. The players who suffered the injury have all come back very, very strong."