“Tough to see someone like Thiem retire because maybe he’s younger than others that retired” – Medvedev

The Russian battled Thiem on six occasions with both players winning three times

Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thiem, Barcelona 2019 Image Credit: SFP / Panoramic

May 12, 2024

Dominic Thiem‘s announcement that he would retire at the end of the 2024 season, at the age of 31 has drawn a lot of sadness from his fans across the world as well as sympathy from his peers.

World No 4 Daniil Medvedev, who the Austrian defeated en route to his only Grand Slam triumph at the 2020 US Open, shared his thoughts on Thiem’s retirement on Saturday after moving into the third round of the Rome Masters.

“I would say that it’s a little tough to see someone like Dominic (Thiem) retire because maybe he’s younger than some other players that retired. I’m not in his body, in his mind, to know exactly the wrist and everything,” the Russian said.

“It’s a pity to see him struggle after his injury and never be able to come back to the level he was before. I’m sure, knowing him, he’s going to be fine without tennis. He’s going to have a good life, happy life. I think that’s the most important, so I wish him all the best.”

“We had some I felt unbelievable moments” – Medvedev on playing against Thiem

Daniil Medvedev Madrid — Imago/Panoramic

Medvedev and Thiem played against one another six times, with their head-to-head tied at 3-3, the last of which the Russian won in 2022 in Vienna, the same event where Thiem is widely expected to play his final event of the season.

“We had some I felt unbelievable moments. Me personally, the most I remember is US Open semifinal and the final in London of ATP Masters. In US Open I felt like I was playing good, in a good run, semifinal. He beat me. I was surprised with the way he played, surprised in a way where he played very good, very strong. In Nitto was unbelievable because in my opinion he played maybe even stronger than US Open and I managed to turn this around. I remember these two matches.”

Medvedev will be back on the courts in Rome on Monday to face Serbian qualifier Hamad Medjedovic for a place in the last 16.