VIENNA, August 27, 2024 - The first match of this year's US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York will also be remembered as the last Grand Slam match of Dominic Thiem, whose only major title came at Flushing Meadows in 2020. The 30-year-old Austrian lost in the first round to the nine-year-younger American Ben Shelton in two hours 4:6, 2:6, 2:6 and was eliminated. Thiem will end his tennis career at the ATP tournament in October at home in Vienna.

WILD CARD The fact that the former number 3 in the tennis world, now only number 89, was allowed to compete against the current number 13 at the US Open at all is thanks to the organizers, who gave Thiem a wild card and wanted to offer him the stage in the world's biggest tennis stadium once again, for the last time. 

INJURIES After his five-set victory (after 0:2 sets) four years ago in the final against Alexander Zverev, problems began for Thiem. Injuries forced him to take a break, then he tried again, then got injured again, slipped out of the top 100 in the ranking, then another comeback, but the performances were no longer right. The times when he beat "The Big Three" Djokovic, Nadal and Federer were long gone. Now the end of his career loomed.

"That was a very emotional farewell," Dominic Thiem said after his quick elimination. "I was allowed to play again on the court where I was able to celebrate my greatest triumph. I'm grateful for my tennis career, I thank all my fans," Thiem said. Good bye, Dominic!