Dominic Thiem applauds London's enthusiasm for sport, says it is "without limits"
Dominic Thiem will be making his fifth consecutive appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals in London this year. The event will move to Turin next year, but Thiem has thoroughly enjoyed playing in the British capital over the last half a decade.
The 2020 US Open champion talked in detail about London on his new website, lauding the metropolis for its sports fanaticism as well as its multi-faceted nature. Thiem also mentioned that England was all about Wimbledon, football and the Masters (Open Championship in golf) for him, and that the country had a certain charm and identity that made it unique.
"I know this country for three reasons: Wimbledon, soccer and the Masters in London. England has its own charm, a lot of history and you won't be able to bypass all the tradition anywhere," Dominic Thiem said.
The Austrian even compared London to New York, and added that there were some 'crazy' spots to visit in the city. Thiem then went on to hail the English people's obsession with sports, saying it was 'without limits'.
"It's a metropolis like New York. You can get anything in London, the city has been becoming more and more modern, magnificent buildings dominate the city center. Everything is extremely clean, disciplined, but there are also crazy quarters. Not to forget: the enthusiasm for sport in general seems to be without limits," Dominic Thiem continued.
Can Dominic Thiem win his maiden ATP Finals title in London?
Dominic Thiem has been one of the most consistent players on tour this year. He started the season with a runner-up finish at the Australian Open, beating the likes of Gael Monfils, Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev before losing to Novak Djokovic.
Even the COVID-19 break couldn't stop Dominic Thiem in 2020. He participated in multiple exhibitions events during the lockdown, and won the events at Belgrade and Berlin.
Filip Krajinovic did hand him a shocking defeat upon the resumption of the tour at the Western & Southern Open, but that was a minor blip for the 27-year-old. Thiem came back in style and secured his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open, becoming the first player outside the Big 3 to win one since 2016.
A foot injury prevented Dominic Thiem from performing at his best in his home tournament at Vienna. However, he has recovered to full fitness and is raring to go in London.
While the two-time Roland Garros runner-up is one of the favorites to win the Nitto ATP Finals, he has landed in a tricky group - with Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev for company. The season-ending tournament will kick off with a rematch of last year's final between Tsitsipas and Thiem, and the Austrian would be hoping to get some measure of revenge.