Dominic Thiem spotted doing light practice as recovery from wrist injury begins, says Roland Garros 2022 is the "big goal"
Dominic Thiem announced earlier this month that he wouldn't require surgery for the wrist injury that has kept him out of competitive tennis since June. The Austrian then scheduled a press conference on 11 October, where he gave more positive updates about his recovery.
Thiem revealed that he has started training with softballs after spending nearly five months with his wrist in a splint. The 28-year-old was even captured on video in one of his light training sessions, where he could be seen wielding the racket without any trouble.
The tweet below has a short clip of Thiem practicing with a softball:
"I'm overjoyed that I was at least able to hit a ball again."
I'll never take the sight of Domi holding a racket for granted ever again 🥺❤😭
(🎥: Servus TV report on Domi's first 'practice' today). https://t.co/NPTkewNPoC
Dominic Thiem failed to defend his titles at the US Open and Indian Wells, and ended his season after playing just 18 matches. He will resume his tennis at the exhibitions in the Middle East later this year, just a month ahead of the Australian Open.
Thiem is also hoping to play the ATP Cup, but during his presser on Monday he downplayed the expectations from his time in Melbourne.
"I won't expect much from myself. It's a completely new situation for me. So far, I've had to take a break for a maximum of 5-6 weeks," Dominic Thiem said. "It's half a year now. I think I'll play really well again. But the problem is that I will lack matches. That's why I wouldn't expect too much in Australia."
While Thiem plans to play the first Major of 2022, his big goal is to be ready for the French Open in May.
"My big goal is the French Open in May, I want to be in top form there," he added. "After Australia there are 4 months to play a lot to make my way up in the rankings."
"There is no tournament schedule yet, but I want to play as much as possible between Australia and Paris" - Dominic Thiem on his 2022 season
In 2021, Dominic Thiem had crafted a much lighter schedule than what he usually plays. The Austrian claimed that he was mentally taxed and that the 2020 US Open victory had taken a lot out of him, so he tried to pace himself accordingly.
But as he is recovering from the serious wrist injury, Thiem is looking to plan for a much denser schedule in 2022. The 28-year-old is "eager to play" now, so he wants to make the most of his time on the tour.
"The whole thing has completely changed," Thiem said. "Now I'm eager to play, and it may now be that I'll be playing more tournaments. I have to look at the rankings and make sure I get back up."
Dominic Thiem added that he is particularly looking to play as much as possible in the lead-up to the claycourt Major in 2022.
"There is no certain tournament schedule yet, but I definitely want to play as much as possible between Australia and Paris," he said.