Dominic Thiem isn’t shying away from having mental health topics as the 2020 US Open champion suggests that so many things happen over the course of the season that it is normal for a tennis player to go through every possible emotion and state.
For several years, the Austrian was one of the top players in the game but he just wasn’t managing to land a Grand Slam title because of the Big Three – and it wasn’t a secret that it was weighing heavy on his mind.
However, after losing two French Open finals to Rafael Nadal and suffering a tight defeat to Novak Djokovic in the 2020 Australian Open final, Thiem finally got his moment at the 2020 US Open and became a Slam winner.
But just after landing a Major and feeling a sense of relief, the former world No. 3 sustained a wrist injury that completely ruined his career. The 31-year-old battled for years to rediscover his old form – but he hasn’t been the same since – and he is retiring from pro tennis at next week’s ATP event in Vienna.
Thiem on depression in tennis
“The topic of mental health has been with me the whole time anyway. Depression accompanies many, many people throughout their lives. Over time, I have done more and more things to become more balanced and counteract the issue. But I also believe that the whole tour life with all the ups and downs, the adrenaline, the emptiness, with all the traveling and the jetlag is not really helping to a balanced lifestyle,” the four-time Grand Slam finalist told Tennis Majors.
The last couple of seasons were pretty rough and challenging for Thiem. Sadly, he also experienced lots of social media abuse and there were numerous times when people openly called on him to retire. However, he turned to meditation and also found help in getting away from the spotlight.
“I’ve learned to spend more time away from the spotlight – more than before – when it gets too much. That helps, because you get a certain feeling when there is a risk for me. Since I’ve been doing more for myself, things have got a lot better,” Thiem explained.