Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem made surprising revelations about his tennis future while outlining his plans for the 2024 season.
Thiem hasn't had the best start to his 2024 season, as the former World No. 3 is yet to secure any tour-level events this season. His only two victories have come in the qualifiers of the Brisbane International.
The Austrian suffered defeats in two main draw matches, falling to Rafael Nadal in the first round in Brisbane and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round of the Australian Open.
"I see this as my last chance. If I make it, it can happen quickly," Thiem told Austrian daily Der Standard. "I've been back for two years now since the injury, and I finished 2022 on 100 or so and last year on 98. If I finish the year on 100 again, you have to think about whether it's still worth it."
Thiem is now planning a return to the tour in March, with a focus on participating in Challenger events in Hungary, Croatia, and Italy to accumulate crucial ranking points.
Thiem's journey has been filled with challenges since his wrist injury in 2021, which kept him sidelined for nearly a year and led to a significant decline in his standing within the sport.
As of now, he is ranked 90th in the world, a sharp contrast to his previous high of No. 3 on March 2, 2020. Despite his struggles, Thiem secured 17 ATP singles titles throughout his career, all achieved before his wrist injury.
Thiem, who hired Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh as his coach after splitting with long-time coach Nicolas Massu in April 2023, also ended his working relationship with him as he is now in talks to hire a non-Austrian coach.
"Yes, I separated from Benny after Australia," Thiem said in a recent press conference in Austria, as per Der Standard. "[The new coach] will be someone who knows me as a player - since I was young, so to speak. I see that as the only chance to get the finishing touches."