Dominic Thiem given Australian Open 2023 wild card as Austrian’s comeback from wrist injury continues

Dominic Thiem has been given a wild card for the Australian Open as the Austrian’s gradual comeback from his wrist injury continues.

Thiem, who first suffered the problem in June 2021, has taken the long and winding road to come back to the top echelons of the game that he so decorated, particularly in 2020, when he reached the final of the Australian Open – losing to Novak Djokovic in five sets – and won the US Open.

Thiem showed shoots of a resurgence in 2022, taking his ranking from outside the top 350 to 102 by the end of the year.

He began the year by losing in the first round at seven tournaments in a row, but managed 42 matches by the end of the campaign, finishing with a positive win-loss record of 23-19 and recording victories over the likes of Hubert Hurkacz, Roberto Bautista Agut and Grigor Dimitrov.

“He now needs to play matches and needs 25 high-level matches to get back to the top and I think he’s ready for it.

“He’s fresh, he’s ready, he’s fit and he’s pain-free. With another really big training block in November and December, I think he will be at another level by Australia.

“He will have full power and be even stronger, fitter, and faster than ever before.

“He can have five more years left in tennis, so he has very good possibilities.

“Make no mistake, Novak and Rafa [Nadal] are not going to want to see a fully fit Dominic Thiem back!”

Other male players to be awarded wild cards to the Melbourne showpiece are Luca Van Assche and Christopher Eubanks, while in the women’s draw, Taylor Townsend and Diane Parry have been given direct entry too.

Organisers added that four more wild cards – two each for the men and women – are set to be announced next week.

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