Thiem suffered a ruptured tendon sheath and accompanying joint capsule at Wimbledon preparatory tournament in Mallorca on June 22 and has not played a match since. “After a week of training on the tennis court, I still had pain in my wrist and realized that it was not yet 100 percent healed,” the sixth-ranked world ranking holder said in a radio broadcast.

He visited his doctors again. “We decided to try conservative treatment to give the injury more time to recover,” Tim explained. “I’m very disappointed that I couldn’t defend the US Open title and miss the rest of the season.” However, he believes that this decision is the right one. “I still have many years left in my career and will only come back when I’m fully fit and in perfect shape to play tough matches.”

Looks like Tim is still far from that. The 17-time champion said on ORF TV last Thursday that he would have felt almost the same pain with a forehand while training as he had two months ago in Mallorca. “The tests showed that the tendon sheath had not yet healed,” Tim said. Tim doesn’t want to resume training until the end of October or the beginning of November at the earliest. “If everything works as planned.” ‘Ideal’ would be to return to the Tour in Australia at the beginning of the year.

“This is my first serious injury, it’s also a new case,” said the Austrian tennis star. “I have to get used to that too.” Tim is not worried that, like 2009 US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro, he may have wrist problems for years. I think del Potro was a little different. All the players who went through the injury are back very strong.”

Thiem must now wear a splint for another six weeks before he begins specific wrist and strengthening exercises, so he can resume training in the field afterwards. After a three-week testing phase, he has now signed Britain’s Jez Green, who has already worked with Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev as his new fitness coach.

For Tim, what he sees as a very dark year is coming to an end early. Lower Austria, who can now apply for a “protected rating” due to a six-month injury break, finished the season with 9 wins and 9 losses. Tim’s greatest successes in 2021 are the round of 16 at the Australian Open and the semi-finals of the Masters 1000 in Madrid.

Before Madrid, he took a seven-week break, which was caused by injuries and motivation problems. This was followed by a surprising first round at the French Open against Spaniard Pablo Andujar and shortly afterwards a fatal injury in Mallorca.

The end of the season has been particularly bitter for the Austrian Davis Cup team, who now have to compete in the group stage against Serbia and Germany in Innsbruck in November without being the first-place finisher. “This is difficult news. I heard a few days ago that it might be the case,” Austria’s Davis Cup captain Stefan Kubik told APA-AAP.

As a player, Koubek had a problem with the wrist, but not the left hand, but the right wrist, which was used “only” for the backhand. However, everything with him was done with one injection. “Something tore Dominic. The wrist is a very complicated subject. You really have to take your time, it can take some time,” said Carinthian, remembering del Potro. “He’s been outside long enough, but you’ve also seen that you can come back.”

Solo alternates from Koubek alongside Denis Novak, who recently became a father, now with Jurij Rodionov and Sebastian Ofner. In doubles, the captain relies on Philip Oswald and Oliver Marach. Sad about the opportunity, Tim has been looking forward to the Davis Cup for a long time: “It could have been the absolute highlight, and maybe also a career highlight. It hurts I’m going to miss it.” Without him, Austria is now a blatant outsider in Innsbruck.