Dominic Thiem gave an interview to the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung in which he reviewed how his recovery from the wrist injury is progressing that he suffered during the past Mallorca Championships and that will prevent him from competing in the US Open and the rest of the 2021 season.
Thiem himself admitted that he wanted to have played this final stretch but that the wrist discomfort persisted in training. “I had in mind to do the US Open and the rest of the season but I paid the price of not having experience with injuries like this. Training never went well, especially with the forehand., so I always had a bad feeling “
Thiem revealed that he will continue conservative treatment with a splint and hopes to return to training normally in November. “I will use the splint for six weeks to help the tendon sheath heal. At four weeks we will see if the healing is going well and then I will be able to start running and do physical exercise. If all goes well, by then I will be able to remove the splint and start doing strengthen and move my wrist, so he could train well from November. My wrist is normal, it doesn’t hurt, but when I hit my forehand there is a click before I hit. “
The Austrian also gave as an example that Rafa Nadal suffered an injury similar to his in 2016 and that he managed to come back stronger after it. “The healing process has been somewhat better than that of other tennis players, who had to undergo immediate surgery. I think it can still heal with the splint. Nadal went through the same injury in 2016, Nishikori had it and Bencic did too. Doctors say that if it heals well there will be no problems. If recovery is not going well, then I will have surgery. It wouldn’t be a setback, but it would increase my time back on track and possibly not make it to the Australian Open, as it would be another month or two. “
Thiem confessed that he will miss not being able to revalidate the title at the US Open and, above all, not being able to play in the Davis Cup in front of his audience in Innsbruck. “I have had six incredible years, better than I dreamed of. Now I am having a bad year, but I hope another six or seven good years will come. It hurts to miss the US Open, Indian Wells, but most of all. It hurts me to miss the Davis Cup. It also saddens me not to be able to compete in Vienna, but he will play that tournament more times. However, how many times will you play a Davis Cup at home against Serbia and Germany? It may never happen again. “
Finally, the Austrian is very clear about who is his great favorite to succeed him as US Open champion. “I believe that Djokovic will succeed me as US Open champion. He has an incredible desire and has the opportunity of the century to win all four Grand Slam in the same year. I think he will not miss this opportunity.”