Google News Dominic Thiem after elimination at Wimbledon: "I'm going away with my head held high"
by LORENZO CIOTTI
Dominic Thiem's path at Wimbledon 2023 ends in the first round, after an almost 4-hour battle against Stefanos Tsitsipas, which ended 10-8 in the fifth set tiebreak. A bitter defeat for the Austrian tennis player, who however finally seemed to be recovering after the last few disappointing seasons, in which he was unable to express the tennis that had led him to become slam champion in the USA in 2020.
The four-time post slam finalist match expressed his satisfaction with the level of play expressed and the positive sensations, saying he is confident for the next few weeks.
Dominic Thiem: "I want to return to expressing my best tennis"
The 29-year-old Austrian said in a press conference that he had good sensations during the match against Tsitsipas.
He told: "I'm leaving here with my head held high. I think we have seen a spectacular level of play, the fighting spirit I have shown has been magnificent and I leave feeling that I can still compete with the best. That lets me know they're still there, which is really important after having a tough few weeks on clay.
Obviously losing is tough, but it seems to me that the fifth set tiebreak is kind of a penalty. It was amazing how Stefanos Tsitsipas saved the break chances I had earlier, all thanks to him. Anyway, what happened today motivates me a lot for the future and makes me understand that I'm still there." The good performance against the Greek was a confidence booster for the former world number 3 in view of the upcoming engagements.
“I needed to feel like this because I've been going through some really tough times lately with regards to my game. I also had a good time in Madrid, but I think the level was clearly lower than what we saw today. I want to use the confidence this match gives me to do good things in the coming weeks.
The most important thing for me is that my drive is working again. I've been looking for my level for too long and today I found it. Now I have to be able to keep it, I will work hard to get it because I want to get back to my best tennis." The next tournaments therefore become an important test to understand if the Austrian tennis player will be able to definitively return to compete at high levels and aspire to important results also in the main tournaments.