Tennis
Go behind the racket and learn more about tennis player Dominic Thiem
The Austrian tennis star is a Grand Slam winner, having won the US Open in 2020. Get the inside track on his path to glory right here.
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Dominic Thiem has won some big tournaments, but none bigger than in 2020 when he achieved what every pro tennis player dreams of doing and won a Grand Slam title. The Austrian fought back from two sets down to stun Alexander Zverev and win his first slam at the US Open at Flushing Meadow in New York City.
"I achieved a life goal, a dream of myself, which I had for many, many years," the world number three said after securing victory.
Thiem fought back from two sets down to claim his US Open title
© Getty Images
Ahead of the Austrian star appearing at Red Bull Bassline, the unique one-night tie-break-based tennis tournament at the Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Stadium in Madrid on April 25, we thought it was time to get to know him even better.
01
His first dream was to win Kitzbühel
The idea that a young Thiem dreamed only of winning all the Grand Slam titles was actually far removed from reality. Instead, the early aspiration was somewhat closer to home with victory at Kitzbühel, which was one of the first tournaments he attended as a child.
After lifting the title in 2019, he explained: “In winning Kitzbühel, I made one childhood dream come true. That was one of the best experiences I’ve had in my career so far, unbelievable emotions.”
02
Here's where he's at in his tennis career
The current world number 101 (as of April 2023) has 17 ATP Tour wins, including that US Open triumph in 2020, and has made it to the French Open final twice (2018 and 2019) and the Australian Open final once (2020).
Thiem has been as high as number three in the world, a ranking he achieved in March 2020. He was still a top-five player until June 2021, when he suffered a major injury, suffering a right wrist tear. This injury saw him out of action for nine months. Since returning to the ATP Tour in March 2022, he's been busy trying to climb up the rankings.
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Dominic Thiem's return to action
After six weeks in a cast on his right wrist, Dominic Thiem has to work up to grab a tennis racket.
03
A huge Chelsea fan, he even owns his own football club
As an avid Chelsea supporter, wherever he is in the world, Thiem always tries to find time in between matches and training to switch on the TV and catch Chelsea in the Premier League and in European action. In addition, a few years ago, he set up his own football club in Austria, TFC Matzendorf, for his friends and fellow Austrian players.
04
The bracelets he wears are in support of ocean clean up
Surfing the internet one day, Thiem stumbled across 4Ocean, a business that has removed millions of pounds of plastic from the ocean since its inception in 2017. So, he bought one of their bracelets, wore it at tournaments, and 4Ocean then got in touch. He now likes to push their work more vocally.
Thiem loves playing in front of home crowds in Austria
© Mirja Geh/Red Bull Content Pool
The clays court is where Thiem is most comfortable
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
05
He never used to deploy a one-handed backhand
One of Thiem’s signature shots is his one-handed backhand, but it is not a shot he had in his armoury until it was introduced at the behest of one of his coaches. Up until the age of 12, he played with a two-handed backhand.
Federer and Nadal would probably make the best coaches because they have such a big knowledge of tennis. It’s insane
06
His first ATP Tour match win was against his future coach
Thiem made his match-winning breakthrough on the ATP Tour in Vienna in 2011 as a fresh-faced teenager coming up against a legend of Austrian tennis, 44-year-old Thomas Muster. Despite the age and experience gap, Thiem won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, and, in a quirk, Thiem would later add Muster to his coaching team, albeit for a short spell.
07
He had his own tennis tournament – Red Bull Thiem, Set and Match
Red Bull Thiem, Set, Match ran for two years (2020 and 2021) and was open to both men and women. Each match was played with short sets to four games, with a tie-break at 3-3. Attacking play was also rewarded, with a winner counting as double points. The winners got to have a special training session with Thiem.
Prize giving at his own tournament
© Philipp Carl Riedl/Red Bull Content Pool
08
He's backed Federer and Nadal to become supercoaches
Men’s tennis has become no stranger to the supercoach in recent years: the likes of former players Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl, Andre Agassi, Stefan Edberg and Goran Ivanisevic are among those having tried their hand at turning from tutored on court to being the tutor. And Thiem believes Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will follow suit.
“Federer and Nadal would probably make the best coaches because they have such a big knowledge of tennis. It’s insane.”
09
Federer is a fan… of Thiem’s accent
The 20-time Grand Slam champion has made no secret of the fact that he both loves and is amused by the Thiem accent, whatever language he is switching between in press conferences. Federer said: “I love his accent. In German, too, by the way, not just in English, and he knows that.” The amusement lies in the fact the pair’s brand of German is a very different dialect.
10
If running tennis, he’d make one major change
Were he to get his hands on running tennis, there is one major change he would make with tournaments. If he could, he would make the third set a match tiebreak at most tournaments. “I think there are some things which would be good to change,” he said. “One is that I would change at some smaller tournaments the third set into a match tiebreak.”
Click here to learn all about Red Bull Bassline – a one-night tournament featuring some of the world’s best players and an exciting competition format.
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