Dominic Thiem says it's more important to be happy than successful
For World No. 3 Dominic Thiem, winning a Grand Slam is the most important objective in tennis. But the Austrian star accepts that there are no guarantees in sport, and that is why he puts his personal happiness above his career goals.
Thiem is currently playing in the Generali Austrian Pro Series, and he spoke extensively about his hopes and ambitions during an interview with Eurosport. The Austrian also revealed his wish to face off against the all-time great Andre Agassi, while recalling his childhood days where he used to watch the American play on the court.
Dominic Thiem hopes he will have a Grand Slam win to his name before retiring
Dominic Thiem has broken into the top 3 of the ATP Rankings, but is yet to win a Grand Slam title. He has reached the finals of three Majors, and also of the year-ending ATP Finals, before succumbing in the face of the last hurdle each time.
Thiem's first appearance in a Grand Slam final came in 2018, when he crossed paths with Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros. However, he couldn't put up much resistance, going down to the claycourt legend in straight sets.
Dominic Thiem qualified for the French Open final again in 2019, but the result was the same - a loss to Nadal. Earlier this year he made it to the final of the Australian Open as well, where Novak Djokovic outlasted him in a five-setter.
Thiem can sense that he is getting close, but also realizes that he can do everything in his power and still fall short if the player at the other side of the net is at his best. The Austrian said during the interview:
“I hope that by the end of my performances I will have a title in the Grand Slam tournament, but there are never guarantees."
He also revealed that he puts his personal satisfaction very high on his priority list. Dominic Thiem is known to spend a lot of time with his family and friends when not on the tour, and for the Austrian, those things can't be replaced by any amount of success.
"It’s important to be a happy man, even if you haven’t achieved your most important goal in sport," Thiem said.
I would love to play with Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf: Dominic Thiem
The three-time Grand Slam runner-up later answered a hypothetical question, revealing that he would love to battle Andre Agassi on the court if given a chance to play against any Open Era player. Thiem put his imagination into words and said:
"I like Agassi. I’d like to play with him – of all the Open Era tennis players. I liked the way he played, I liked him as a character on the court, I certainly read his biography. I remember watching his matches when I was a kid."
Dominic Thiem signed off by stating that he would enjoy clashing with Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf in Las Vegas.
"I would love to go to Las Vegas and play with Andre and Steffi Graf,” Thiem concluded.