‘I am yet not ready to compete at the highest level,’ Dominic Thiem withdraws from Mubadala World Tennis Championship


‘I am yet not ready to compete at the highest level,’ Dominic Thiem withdraws from Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Dominic Thiem

2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem has been out of action since the last few months courtesy a wrist injury he developed during the grass court stint. Ever since then, he is under recovery and was scheduled to stage a comeback at the Mubadala World Tennis championship this week.

ADVERTISEMENT

But Thiem took to Twitter to announce that he’s withdrawing from the tournament as he thinks he isn’t fit yet to compete at the highest level. “I was looking forward to making my return to competition at Abu Dhabi but I feel that I am yet not ready to compete at the highest level,” he said.

“It’s disappointing to not take part this year but I need to continue my preparation for the upcoming season. I truly hope to return to the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in the future,” he concluded.

What lies ahead for Thiem?

Dominic Thiem
Dominic Thiem

Ever since his 2020 US Open triumph a year ago, Thiem hasn’t been anywhere near his best. He reached the final of the ATP Finals last year but that was his last notable performance. He couldn’t start the year well in Australia this year and then bowed out of the first round of French Open- a tournament where he has generally done well. Mental health issues and injury hampered the remainder of the season for him.

ADVERTISEMENT

As for 2022, Thiem’s main target will want to break into the Top 10 once again as soon as possible. The Austrian is currently ranked 15th in the world and isn’t dropping many points in Australia. Hence he can break into the Top 10 easily with a couple of good tournaments. He is vaccinated and scheduled to play the Australian Open– his first major since getting knocked out in the first round of Roland Garros last year.

Also read: ‘You can’t always go against the numbers,’ Alexander Zverev picks ‘THIS’ member of the Big 3 to settle the G.O.A.T debate