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Dominic Thiem was one of the most exciting players to watch just a few short years ago. He was often dubbed as the ‘prince of clay’ thanks to his performances and results on the dirt. And he showed this with some staggering results against the best in the game. However, he was also a seriously talented player on hard courts. Again, this was backed up by his first and only Grand Slam win in 2020 at the US Open. But since that monumental achievement, things have gone south for the powerful Austrian.
Due to several problematic injuries, he has struggled to find form and compete against the best in the business since 2020. This has seen his ranking slip drastically too, which has forced him down to the Challenger level this year. With that said, in recent weeks, Thiem has been showing signs of recovery. His results have improved, he seems to believe in himself once again, and for me, this is hugely exciting for the sport of tennis.
Below, you will find out why I believe that Dominic Thiem is making a comeback to the top of the game.
Is Dominic Thiem Back at His Best Ahead of the 2022 US Open?
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The Challenger that Thiem played at the start of July was the first sign that Thiem was starting to make a comeback. He may have lost in the round of 16, but there were glimpses of his previous form. After that, he moved to the Swedish Open, and this is where I really started to sit up and take note. He had two big wins against Bautista-Agut and Ruusuvuori, before losing to Sebastien Baez in another three-setter.
And at the time of writing, he has moved into the round of 16 at the Swiss Open. During his opener, he saved match points to take down the number 7 seed in the form of Huge Gaston. Sure, these are guys that he would comfortably beat a few years ago. But I believe that the tide is starting to turn for the following reasons:
Consistency on the Court
I have to admit, it was tough to see Dominic Thiem being so inconsistent in his first few games back on tour. We have become so used to his power and precision, yet he was spraying the ball and throwing unforced errors all over the place. But now, he is sticking in the rallies longer and getting results from doing so.
Belief in the Big Moments
With the game of tennis, confidence is an enormous aspect of the game. Without it, the big moments just aren’t going to go your way. But with it, anything can be achieved. And recently, Thiem looks like he is figuring out those big moments once again. He now waits for the right ball to unleash his power, which is a huge step forward.
Power Coming Back on Both Wings
Finally, I have to mention the Dominic Thiem trademark. Because of the wrist injury, he lacked venom on both wings earlier in the season. Of course, I don’t know whether this was a confidence thing or whether he was still in pain. But regardless, he is now starting to smoke the ball in the way that we all remember. And I can’t wait to see his comeback unfold over the coming months.
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