As the only top 20 participant in this week’s Rio Open Dominic Thiem had his sight set on both the title and a milestone ranking position. However, the South American clay proved to be too problematic for the world No.4.
Playing his first tournament since reaching the final of the Australian Open last month, Thiem struggled from the onset. During his first two matches he was taken to three sets by world No.341 Felipe Meligeni Alves and world No.99 Jaume Munar. Two players who certainly played some of their best tennis to expose some uncomfortable weaknesses in his current game.
On Saturday Thiem’s Rio campaign was ended by Italian underdog Gianluca Mager, who is yet to crack the top 100. 25-year-old Mager is yet to play a grand slam main draw match, but did win a trio of titles on the lower tier Challenger tour last year.
“Everything is basically fine, but of course it is always very tough to have an exhausting grand slam tournament and then the body comes down.” Thiem explained following his exit from the tournament.
“Trying to get things going again on a different surface in a completely different country on the other side of the world is not easy. Of course I was not playing my best tennis this week (in Rio).’
“A lot of times my tennis gets better as the week goes, but unfortunately it didn’t happen this week.”
Thiem is only the second top-five player to return to the tour following the Australian Open. After Daniil Medvedev, who has suffered early exits in Rotterdam and Marseille. The top two players – Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal – will return to action next week in Dubai and Monterey. Meanwhile, Roger Federer is sidelined until at least June with injury.
“There is not a lot of time between Australia and here, and it is a really big challenge to get 100% again.” He commented about the short turnaround.
“I’m only home home for a week and then I’m flying (to Rio) again.”
Whilst not feeling his best on the court, there was an incentive for the Austrian to do well this week. If he made the semi-finals, he would break into the world’s top three for the first time in his career. Becoming the first male tennis player from his country to do so since Thomas Muster. Fortunately for Thiem his place in the top three is inevitable thanks to the absence of one of his rivals in the coming weeks.
“To be honest I’m not very worried about that right now because I’ll be number three in a couple of weeks anyway. I’m sad because I lost this match. It makes no difference to be at the Top 3 this Monday or next week”, he said.
Thiem is next heading off to Los Angeles for some rest before resuming training once again. He will be eager to regain his form from earlier this year ahead of his next tournament in Indian Wells. It will be there where he will be defending a Masters 1000 title for the first time in his career. Last year he defeated Federer in the final.
“I will try to do the same as last year which worked out perfectly as I played great tennis in Indian Wells.” Thiem outlined.
“I arrived 10 days prior to the tournament and I am going to do the same again in Indian Wells. Get used to the conditions which are unique. I’ll try to do something similar to last year which worked out amazing and I hope to be at the back at the top of my game.”
