'He had everything': Thiem’s ATP Tour rivals on what made him so good

Few could compete with Dominic Thiem at his imperious best: Just ask those who tried.

The 31-year-old Austrian, who this week will compete in the final event of his pro career at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, combined heavy groundstrokes with sublime movement and a rock-solid net game. Those abilities carried him to a career-high No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and helped him earn 17 tour-level trophies, including a major title at the 2020 US Open.

“He was so complete,” Matteo Berrettini told ATPTour.com this week in Vienna, where Thiem will take on Luciano Darderi in the first round on Tuesday evening. “He had everything. Backhand, forehand, serve, moving well, fighting like hell. He had great hands as well, so he was really tricky to play.

“We played on a lot of different surfaces, but the first time I played him was at Roland Garros in 2018. On clay, I could feel it after three sets. The intensity was really high, and he was fresh [at the end], so I was like, ‘I’ve got to work hard in order to beat this guy’. That was his strength… He was really someone that I always looked up to, because the energy he brought to the court was special.”

For many of Thiem’s fans and his rival players alike, one aspect of the Austrian’s game particularly stood out: his backhand. He arrived on Tour in an era where the one-hander was becoming increasingly rare, particularly among the game’s elite. Yet similarly to his fellow Grand Slam champions Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, one less hand on the racquet had no impact on Thiem’s ability to pack a punch.

“Just the physicality [stood out]. How heavy his ball was from both sides,” said Alex de Minaur, against whom Thiem holds a 4-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead. “Normally people with a one-handed backhand struggle to get that much heaviness and weight on the ball, but he never had that problem. He worked so hard for it. The intensity was always there, and he’s always been an incredible human being and athlete. I’ve always had a lot of respect for him.”

The only player with a one-handed backhand currently in the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings is Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian, who is two years older than Thiem, has been an on-court rival and off-court friend throughout the Austrian’s career.

“Domi for me was a very special player,” Dimitrov told ATP Media. “There was a time, with his results and the way he was playing and because he had a one-handed backhand as well, when he was a good challenge for me to improve certain aspects of my game. Especially on clay, for example, or to push myself to play well. There were bits or pieces throughout the years.

“We also played quite a few times against each other. I wish him all the best. He’s an amazing guy. So humble and sweet, actually, and we had some good memories together.”

Dominic Thiem and Grigor Dimitrov at the 2021 Australian Open. Photo Credit: David Gray/AFP via Getty Images

As well as inspiring the one-handed backhand brigade, Thiem also led the way in disrupting the dominance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. He is one of only two players, alongside Andy Murray, to have notched at least five Lexus ATP Head2Head wins against each member of the ‘Big Three’.

“I feel like he was one of the first guys to start to challenge the big names,” said Taylor Fritz, five years Thiem’s junior. “He was playing in an era where Novak and Rafa and Fed were so unbeatable, and then Andy as well. He was one of the first guys to break through and start to beat those guys.

“The guy hit the ball so incredibly big. It was always unbelievable on clay, but towards the end there [before his injury] it started to be unbelievable on every surface. It was just so exciting to see what he was doing as a younger player, kind of showing us that yes, these guys were beatable, and leading the way for the next generation.”

Thiem’s heyday sadly came too early for him to strike up rivalries with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. By the time those two young stars had established themselves on the ATP Tour, the Austrian’s career had been disrupted by the wrist injury that ultimately prevented him from ever rediscovering his best level. He never faced Sinner or Alcaraz in a competitive match, but he still made a big impression on the current Top 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“I never played against Dominic in an official match, but as a human and a person, he has been amazing,” said World No. 1 Sinner. “It doesn’t matter what ranking I was or how young I was, he always said hi, and we had conversations… I still hope to see him around at some tournaments. He always brings a super positive energy in the locker room and the dining areas. I think all players will miss him.”

Alcaraz said: “I had the chance to watch him play a lot. I shared a few tournaments with him. When I played my first ATP Tour tournament in Rio de Janeiro in 2020, I had the chance to practise with him. I was super excited about it. I watched him beating the big players, winning the big tournaments. He had a really great career.

“My little brother used to play tennis, and he was a huge fan of Dominic Thiem. He played with Thiem’s racquet, not mine! So he was always watching Dominic’s matches, and I heard often from my brother: ‘I want to play like Dominic Thiem. I want to play like him, with the same racquet and the same style.’ In my family, we have a really high estimation of Dominic.”

Fans around the world will hope for one final burst of ‘Thiem tennis’ this week in Vienna, where he lifted one of his 17 tour-level titles in 2019. While it will be the last time he competes as a pro, the legacy of Thiem’s storied career will remain etched in those that played against him.

“I always enjoyed watching his tennis, especially his backhand and his mental toughness,” said Japan’s Kei Nishikori, whose most recent Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Thiem came at the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals. “He is very powerful with his groundstrokes.

"Nowadays it’s rare to see. He has a beautiful backhand and not too many people have that, so it’s sad to lose him, but I hope he can enjoy playing at home in Vienna [one last time].”

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