Following recent injury struggles, Dominic Thiem was assigned one of the hardest possible tasks in Madrid: being drawn to three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray.
As expected, the Scot triumphed over the Austrian in a seemingly straightforward straight-sets win. It was not the leg up that Thiem would have hoped for on his return to the ATP Tour, but the brutalities of tennis wait for no one.
Despite having his moments throughout the tie, Thiem was yet another victim to Murray's dominance. The Brit was clearly, and understandably, the more in-form player, with him able to dominate the majority of his service game. This resulted in several free points for Murray.
Following the tie, the 2020 US Open champion resorted to Instagram to voice his thoughts. Seemingly in bright spirits, Thiem offered his assessment.
"I had a few very successful and especially instructive days in Madrid. The training, the atmosphere and the people were amazing. Of course, I wanted to win this match, but I still lack the consistency that I can get back with a lot of work!"
"My team and I know exactly what needs improvement and we will work on it every day. I will continue to work and train to achieve my goals. I am and remain positive. I approach every practice and every game so that I can always learn from my mistakes, so that I can go one step further every day than yesterday."
Thiem also made sure to thank his fans for their unwavering support throughout what has proved to be a tough time for him.
"I am overjoyed to be able to stand on the court every day without pain and worries and to be able to do what I love. I want to thank everyone who helps me improve every day and I want to thank you for all these inspiring messages and comments! I appreciate every single one of you!"
What is clear now is that Thiem is most likely to find a long road back to his previous form. With months of work already done on the practice courts, repeated competitive matches are now necessary for the Austrian to have a chance of getting back to his best.
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