Dominic Thiem is playing one last tennis event before his retirement, with the Austrian eager to go out on a high at the Vienna Open.
Thiem will retire after the Vienna Open, with the 2020 US Open champion beginning his run against Luciano Darderi.
It won’t be an easy task for 31-year-old Thiem, who has struggled with an ongoing wrist injury in recent times.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have messaged Thiem ahead of his retirement, which he will be trying to postpone on home soil this week.
The Austrian 17-time ATP Tour champion has been handed a wildcard for the ATP 500 tournament, which is already underway.
Dominic Thiem sends message ahead of retirement at Vienna Open
Before his first match, however, Thiem took to the court for an exhibition encounter with Alexander Zverev.
And the former has now sent a social media message to share his gratitude for the event, with Thiem writing on X: “What a night! I would like to sincerely thank everyone who joined me for my farewell last night! It means the world to me that you all came to share this special moment with me.
“The exhibition match with Alexander Zverev, the ONE SHOT CUP, the amazing performance by The Clairvoyants – and of course the farewell itself – all meant so much to me!
“A huge thank you to all of you for making this an unforgettable evening! Hope to see some of you again tomorrow! Yours, Domi.”
Can Dominic Thiem go out on a high at the Vienna Open?
Thiem really has enjoyed a superb career on the court, with tennis certain to miss the Austrian when he finally hangs up his racket.
His fellow legend Nadal does, of course, find himself in the same position, with the Spaniard set to retire after the Davis Cup Finals next month.
But neither player will want to go out on a low note, with Nadal certain to want Davis Cup success for Spain, particularly given that the event is taking place in Malaga.
READ MORE: The Rafael Nadal prediction about Dominic Thiem at the French Open which sadly never came true
Also playing his farewell tournament on home soil, Thiem will be desperate to win his round of 32 clash with Darderi.
But even if he was to win that opening test, going all the way in Vienna will be extremely tough given the level of competition.
High-profile names such as Alex de Minaur, Grigor Dimitrov, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe and Jack Draper are all in action on the same day as Thiem.
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