Defending Champion Thiem Withdraws from US Open

Dominic Thiem won’t be defending his US Open title this month.

Reigning US Open champion Thiem has withdrawn from the Flushing Meadows—and ended his 2021 season—as he recovers from a right wrist injury. Thiem sustained the wrist injury in his Mallorca Open opener in June and has not played since.

The sixth-ranked Austrian said he suffered a setback while hitting during a training session last week. Doctors examined his wrist and advised Thiem to take time out to rest his wrist.

“I’m really disappointed not to be able to defend the title in New York, but I haven’t recovered from the wrist injury I suffered back in June at the Mallorca Open,” Thiem said in a statement posted on Twitter. “The past six weeks I’ve been following the medical advice, wearing the wrist splint, doing exercise to stay in shape before starting to train back on the court.

“My recover was going really well, but then last week I hit a ball during training and started to feel some pain again. I went straight to see the doctors.

“After some tests, they said my wrist needs more time, so we’ve all agreed on being conservative to give my wrist some time to recover.”

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Reigning US Open champion Thiem joins five-time US Open champion Roger Federer, who announced he will undergo a third surgery on his right knee that will end his season, in pulling out of the season’s final Grand Slam tournament. Rafael Nadal’s status for the US Open is uncertain as he continues recovery from a foot injury.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will play to complete the calendar Grand Slam and to take sole possession of the all-time men’s Grand Slam mark as he aims for his 21st Grand Slam crown in New York.

The US Open begins on August 30th.