Google News Dominic Thiem: The fire went out after first Grand Slam title at 2020 US Open
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 4761
Dominic Thiem admitted "the fire went out" after he clinched his first Grand Slam title at the 2020 US Open. Thiem, 29, was 0-3 in his Grand Slam finals before beating Alexander Zverev in the 2020 US Open final. Since then, Thiem hasn't won any titles but it should be noted that there was a 10-month absence caused by a wrist injury.
“It went out after the US Open. But we've already talked about that. I don't want to blame myself for that. There are players who celebrate great success who are spurred on by that, who are pushed even further to perform even better, who are immediately on fire to win the next Grand Slam title.
It wasn't like that for me, I'm a different guy. It took me a while before I accepted that, that I'm a bit harder on myself than some others. What I certainly also had to learn is that it is only up to me and I have to regulate it myself," Thiem told Kronen Zeitung, per Eurosport.
Thiem believes he can again be a top player
Last March, Thiem returned from a long-injury break. Nearly a year has passed since Thiem returned and now he is ranked at No 96 in the world. Thiem is clearly far away from his best form but he remains hopeful he can return to his best level if he puts in the hard work.
“It's still there. Even if it should only be there very small, it is there, and I'm sure it will get bigger again. When it’s gone, I won’t be sitting here anymore, I would stop and live a different life. But the belief is definitely there.
The only thing I can do is keep working and training. It's a difficult situation, definitely. It's not always easy for me, which has been the last year and a half since the US Open. What I have to do, like today, is give everything, fight hard from the first to the last ball.
Then I definitely have a chance of getting back to a very good level. This is also the only chance," Thiem said.
