Dominic Thiem is very impressed by two of the ATP’s rising stars.
The Austrian brought an end to his tennis career in 2024 after a persistent wrist injury prevented him from returning to his best form.
At his best, Thiem reached number three in the world and beat Alexander Zverev in five sets to win the 2020 US Open.
Now a retired player, Thiem is watching from the sidelines and he is enjoying seeing the progress of two young players on the ATP Tour.
Dominic Thiem thinks Joao Fonseca and Jakub Mensik are two of the ATP’s next top stars
Thiem attended the ongoing Munich Open where he was interviewed by the ATP Tour’s website.
During the conversation, the 31-year-old commented on the younger generation, led by Carlos Alcaraz and World number one Jannik Sinner.
and identified Joao Fonseca and Miami Open winner Jakub Mensik as two players he enjoys watching and thinks have a bright future in the sport.
“Mensik and Fonseca are amazing. I love to watch them,” Thiem said. “They already made it. There is no question they are really going to be at the top.
“Mensik won Miami, Fonseca already won Buenos Aires. They are already at the top, and now it’s really interesting to see players like Diego and Justin Engel because they are still a little bit lower ranked.
“Mensik and Fonseca, I could watch them every week on the TV, but it’s also interesting to watch somebody for the first time.”
Dominic Thiem says what he misses most about playing professional tennis
The tennis world bid an emotional farewell to Thiem when he played the final match of his career in October 2024.
He entered his home tournament of the Vienna Open, losing in straight sets to Luciano Darderi and saying goodbye to tennis.
Six months on, Thiem explained how his retirement is going and shared what he misses most about playing tennis.
“I’m enjoying retirement. It’s nice,” he said. “I’m completely in a different department now, with my company, with renewable energy, but of course I’ll always remain in tennis, and I love the sport.
“It’s really nice to see a tournament from a different perspective, and I’m enjoying it a lot. I miss the feeling after a great victory or after a tournament victory,” he said. “Those are the moments which are priceless, and also are never going to come back.
“The feeling is unbelievable, but I really don’t miss all the work to actually come to those moments. To be in the position for those winning feelings, it’s a very long and very hard road. I know what it takes and I’m not missing that part at all, so it’s a good combination.”
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
