Dominic Thiem talked about an ugly moment from his first-round match at the 2023 US Open against Alexander Bublik, who called him 'disabled.'
In the heat of competition, emotions can run high. But recent comments from the Kazakhstani player were probably a bit over the line as also Thiem was surprised to find out what his opponent said during their match.
Alexander Bublik caught the attention of fans at the 2023, somewhat overshadowing the games themselves. Thiem, once the crown jewel of men's tennis and the 2021 US Open winner, had suffered a significant slump in his career due to a string of injuries.
This journey from being the world's best to facing physical adversities made his first-round clash against Bublik more than just a match. As Thiem displayed a commanding performance over Bublik, defeating him 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, whispers began to circulate about a comment made by Bublik during the match.
Caught swearing in Russian, Bublik appeared frustrated, alluding to Thiem's injuries and recent performance downturn: "I'm fu**ing sick of getting all these disabled people back in their career." The comment seemed brash and out of place, especially when considering the global platform and audience.
Post-match, journalists were eager to address the elephant in the room, and the question inevitably landed in Thiem's court. With grace and poise, Thiem responded, highlighting the importance of respect in the sport. It's a timely reminder that tennis is as much about character as it is about skill.
"Yeah, it's a tough saying, you know, something you shouldn't say in general, you know, just out of respect. Yeah, maybe he didn't mean it that way or whatever. But, yeah, what can I say about it?"
Since Bublik's comment obviously touched on the fact that Thiem struggled with injuries recently, the Austrian was also asked about his physical, as well as mental fitness after winning the opening match at the 2023 US Open.
"The physical trust is there, you know. Since the injury I have played many tournaments. I did many, many practice sessions. I really also gave a lot of load on the wrist again. So it's completely fine."
"The mental side was not that easy as restore the arm was. Was not doing the same job I was used to before the injury, so that was not easy."
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