Two years after US Open win, can Dominic Thiem return to the top of tennis alongside Carlos Alcaraz?

“I expect that it's going to be easier for me now in the biggest tournaments…” On September 14, 2020, Dominic Thiem was waking up as a first-time Grand Slam champion. Hearing him speak after winning the US Open it was difficult not to think that a weight had been lifted.

Ad “Such a big relief,” said Thiem, who had lost in three previous Grand Slam finals, including at the Australian Open earlier that year. Surely, after beating Alexander Zverev in a remarkable final in New York, Thiem’s career trajectory would only continue in an upwards direction.

US OpenPablo Carreno Busta — Dominic Thiem — US Open Highlights30/08/2022 AT 00:40 Few would have predicted that in the following two years Thiem would make just one more final and would struggle for form even before last summer’s wrist injury that has seen him plummet down the world rankings. From Grand Slam delight to reset Thiem’s US Open victory in 2020 was not in the mould of Emma Raducanu’s a year later: he did not come from nowhere to win his first major.

Thiem had been challenging the best in the world for several seasons and his win-loss record against the Big Four – 5-7 against Novak Djokovic, 6-9 against Rafael Nadal, 2-3 against Andy Murray, 5-2 against Roger Federer – as well as his record against those closer in age – 8-3 against Alexander Zverev, 3-2 against Daniil Medvedev and 5-3 against Stefanos Tsitsipas – is a reminder of just how good he was. Thiem’s single-handed backhand was one of the most devastating on tour this century and he also had huge power on the forehand side.

Thiem's major breakthrough at the US Open came at one of the most unusual Grand Slams ever. There were no fans allowed in the stands due to Covid-19 — the tour had just resumed earlier