Thiem adds final chapter to Roland-Garros legacy

With the loss, Thiem’s memorable career on the Parisian clay came to an end, the fans serenading him with even more fervour as he left the court for the last time.  

“It was really, really nice,” Theim told a large group of reporters after the match. “The first round I was so surprised when I went out on Lenglen, and it was packed. I thought that there would be 1000 or 2000 fans and we went out and it was like 9000 – it was amazing, a great atmosphere. 

“People chanting my name, and it was very emotional. It was a very nice farewell.” 

The days of the Dominator

Since his Roland-Garros debut in 2014, Thiem has patrolled the terre battue of Paris valiantly, amassing a sparkling body of work that for years had pundits convinced that he could be the tournament's next iconic legend. 

It didn’t work out that way in the end, but there can be no denying the legitimacy of Thiem’s body of work in Paris. The Austrian was a tour de force on the terre battue from 2016 to 2020, a five-year period which saw him rack up back-to-back finals in 2018 and 2019.

Those finals neatly followed semi-final runs in 2016 and 2017 before a fifth straight quarter-final in 2020.  

Thiem and his blistering baseline game produced a 26-5 record during those five years, but statistics don’t tell the whole story of the Austrian’s dynamic Roland-Garros resume.

A wrist injury curtailed Thiem’s march to the top of the sport in 2021, and his inability to properly recover from it ultimately led to his decision to end his illustrious career later this year. 

The sweet memories will linger for a long time.

“I had a very intense career,” Theim said. “I don’t really feel like I’m 30, nearly 31; I feel like tennis-wise I’m a bit older.”

One last chance to say goodbye

Though he hasn’t been able to summon the tennis of his prime years, the 30-year-old took his place in this year’s qualifying draw seeking an enjoyable last dance at the venue that has meant so much to him over the course of his career. 

“Since I announced the decision that it's going to be my last year I'm able to enjoy it way more and to see it as a passion and as a joy again,” he said after his round one qualifying win over Franco Agamenone.

“That makes me very happy because I think that every tennis player, or every athlete really deserves that, to really enjoy one more time the sport you chose.”

It was on the hallowed crushed red brick at Porte d’Auteuil that Thiem first made his name as a serious contender for titles on the Grand Slam stage.

The swashbuckling style and sheer force with which the 2020 US Open champion tattooed his epic groundstrokes made him a natural-born winner on the clay and labelled him a forever favourite among the Roland-Garros faithful. 

Those faithful were out in droves this week in Paris, filling Court Suzanne-Lenglen with ambiance as he sought to turn back the clock, at least for a moment. 

“I feel big relief definitely,” Theim admitted. “I also have a feeling that I can enjoy it a bit more… You start the game because you love it, you feel passion for it. If you don't watch out, it starts to become more and more a profession and a choice.”

Though he finished the day behind on the scoreboard, anyone who heard the roar of the crowd as he departed Court Suzanne-Lenglen could recognise that Thiem leaves Paris forever a winner.