Dominic Thiem's career in recent years has been very strange and not in a good way, so his sudden announcement of a potential retirement left fans shocked.
The Austrian won the US Open a few years ago and has since struggled to find his best tennis. First, he struggled to find his best tennis, but then he injured his wrist badly in Mallorca and has yet to reach that level, let alone the Grand Slam-winning level.
The whole rehabilitation process was difficult for Thiem because he reinjured himself and lacked confidence upon his return. He wasn't able to find his best tennis and continues to struggle to this day, as he's still ranked only 90th on the ATP Tour at the moment.
The last time Thiem was ranked inside the Top 10 was in October 2021, which was a long time ago. He slipped after that, dropping out of the top 100 in May 2022. He dropped as low as 352nd not long after that but got back to around 100th on the rankings by the end of the year.
It's been over a year since then, and Thiem has still not returned to the Top 50. He simply can't find the level needed, and it seems like time is running out. Speaking to Der Standard, the Austrian admitted that if he doesn't do it soon, it might be it for him, which is shocking as he's only 30 years old.
"I see this as my last chance. If I can do it, it can happen quickly. I've been back for two years now since the injury, and I finished 2022 at 100 or so and last year at 98."
"Should I end the year at 100 again , you have to think about whether the whole thing is still worth it. For two years now I've been in ranking spheres that I don't want to be in. Of course that puts a strain on me."
That's a fascinating admission by Thiem, but it also makes sense. Being ranked 100th is not worth it for a former Grand Slam champion, and he's yet to show that he's better than that ranking.
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