Earlier this year, Dominic Thiem announced that he would retire at the end of the season. As his career nears its end, he looked back at his successful journey and hinted at what might be ahead.

When did you decide to retire?

“The final decision I took in March. But towards the end of last year, the thought came to my mind for the first time. It wasn’t a good sign. I didn’t want to believe it. But it got stronger and I had to deal with it. I was sad but also relieved. All those years were intense. Not being able to come back to the top was challenging. Now I’m ready for a new chapter.”

How painful is it for you to play tennis now?

“It’s not painful, more discomfort. The feeling in the wrist is not right. I practiced 15 years intensely. My wrist broke twice and just never came back the way it was.”

What will you miss most about being on your?

“I will miss walking out on to all the centre courts and feeling the energy of the fans. It’s an unbelievable feeling I will never get again. The happiness of winning is what’s all about. The two or three hours afterwards is great.”

How will you fill up your days when you retire?

“I’m already thinking what to do next. I’m not a guy who will sit around and do nothing. I want to do good for the environment and other people. Football is a big passion of mine. I never got the time to play and watch because of my tennis. My dream is to own a sustainable club because that’s the future. A little like Forest Green Rovers.”

Would you be interested in coaching on tour?

“If you’re in the tennis world as long as me, it’s almost an obligation to pass on my knowledge on. I don’t think I will go on tour coaching but I want to help young players, especially in Austria, get from the juniors to the professional tour.”

When you look like back at your career, are you happy with what you won?

“Yes. When I was young I never thought that I would win a grand-slam or be number three in the world one day. My dream was just to be on the tour. When I was at my peak between 2015-2021, I was playing really good. I should have won more grand-slams. But I’m happy with my career.”

Would you have won one or two more grand-slams if the Big Three were not playing in your era?

“I don’t know. It’s difficult to say. When the Big Three were at the peak, people said when they are gone it will be easier to win big titles. But then Alcaraz and Sinner came and it’s as hard as before.”

How challenging is it to face Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros?

“It’s probably the hardest task in sport. The record he has there - 14 titles, 106 wins and just four losses - is remarkable. I’m so happy I got to play him there four times. It’s painful though too. The final in 2019 hurt a lot as I thought I could win. I was playing really well. That match showed me if Nadal’s close to his best level, it’s impossible to beat him there.”

You will leave the tour with a 5-2 winning record over Roger Federer. How does that feel?

“It’s a nice feeling but I have to be fair and say that in three of those matches, he wasn’t at his peak level or was injured. Playing Federer was extremely difficult as I felt he could do whatever he wanted to you. He would toy with you.”

What was the best match you played in you career?

“The one that comes to mind is in 2019 against Novak Djokovic in the group stage of the Nitto ATP finals. I won 7-6 in the third set and I loved how I played. The atmosphere in the arena was unbelievable that night.”

What was you favourite tournament and why?

“The US Open. Not just because I won there, but the energy of the crowd, the event and the city is brilliant. Sometimes I was happy to leave after the three weeks as I was so tired. But it was always a crazy, enjoyable time.”

Why do you think you struggled to go deep at Wimbledon?

“I think grass is not my best surface. But I was never able to fully recover after the French Open and make the transition. It’s very hard to change from clay to grass in such short time. The Big Three did that so much better than everyone else. That’s why they won so many big titles.”

Is there anything you would like to change about the world of tennis?

“I love to watch tennis. The grand-slams should stay the same. However, I think you could shorten some tournaments with match tie-breaks. You could also combine a padel and a tennis event. That would be fun. But tennis is doing fine.”