New Delhi: Austria’s Dominic Thiem faced a first-round exit at the US Open 2024 with his Grand Slam career coming to an end on Monday at the same Arthur Ashe Stadium where he won his only major in 2020. The former world no. 3 went down 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 against Ben Shelton (13th seed) of the USA. This makes Thiem’s eighth first-round exit at his last 10 Slams.
Thiem had announced in May on home ground in Vienna in October that this would be his last year on the tour after struggling badly with a persistent wrist injury. Thiem had beaten Alexander Zverev to claim his first Slam from two sets down in the US Open 2020 final. With the triumph, it appeared that he was set to take on the elite troika of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal.
Nothing but respect between Ben and Domi 🙌 pic.twitter.com/P4jJA6XKwb
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2024
Everyone remembers where they were on September 13, 2020.
Thanks for the memories, @domithiem 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Ix7ntLcg2g
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2024
The win also notably put an end to a sequence of three defeats in three Slam finals as he went down against Nadal in 2018 and 2019 followed by a five-set loss at the hands of Djokovic at the Australian Open 2020. His career, however, went downhill in the summer of 2021 when he suffered a wrist injury at the Mallorca ATP tournament. He sustained critical ligament damage and was forced to remain on the sidelines for the rest of 2021.
He could only play two Slams in 2022 as his ranking dropped to outside of the top 100 for the very first time in more than a decade. “I think that the thing I will miss the most is the feeling after winning a great match, it’s not really comparable to anything else,” Thiem said after the match.
“I’m here now retiring pretty young but I’m really happy with the career I had. I never expected that it’s going to be that successful, so I don’t have really any regrets, and I’m good with that,” the Austrian added.
Novak Djokovic wins first round
Tennis ace Novak Djokovic eased past Radu Albot of Moldova to make it to the second round at the US Open 2024. The Serb is on his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title. The four-time champion, coming on the back of an Olympic gold won two weeks ago, defeated Albot 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. The 37-year-old lost his Australia and French Open titles this year.
No trouble for Novak in Round 1! pic.twitter.com/i3w490zVfs
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 27, 2024
He was barely hassled by the by the 138th-ranked Moldovan who is yet to defeat a top 10 player. His rampant victory was a record 78th on the biggest tennis court of the sporting world.
Other important results
Men (1st round)
Casper Ruud (NOR x8) beat Bu Yunchaokete (CHN) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2
Gael Monfils (FRA) beat Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1
Brandon Nakashima (USA) beat Holger Rune (DEN x15) 6-2, 6-1, 6-4
Lorenzo Musetti (ITA x18) beat Reilly Opelka (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 1-6, 6-1, 7-5
Alexander Zverev (GER x4) beat Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2
Tallon Griekspoor (NED) beat Sumit Nagal (IND) 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6)
Ben Shelton (USA x13) beat Dominic Thiem (AUT) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) beat Radu Albot (MDA) 6-2, 6-2, 6-4
Women (1st round)
Paula Badosa (ESP x26) beat Viktorija Golubic (SUI) 6-0, 6-3
Clara Burel (FRA) beat Sloane Stephens (USA) 0-6, 7-5, 7-5
Elina Svitolina (UKR x27) beat Lourdes Carle (ARG) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Tatjana Maria (GER) beat Solana Sierra (ARG) 6-2, 6-3
Coco Gauff (USA x3) beat Varvara Gracheva (FRA) 6-2, 6-0
Zheng Qinwen (CHN x7) beat Amanda Anisimova (USA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Madison Keys (USA x14) beat Katerina Siniaková (CZE) 6-4, 6-1
Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x2) beat Priscilla Hon (AUS) 6-3, 6-3
Dominic Thiem was defeated in the first round at the US Open which has put an end to his Grand Slam career. Meanwhile Novak Djokovic beat Radu Albot in straight sets to start on a high. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
