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Former US Open winner Dominic Thiem has received a wild card entry into the upcoming Australian Open 2023. Thiem missed last year’s Australian Open due to injury and will return to Melbourne Park along with Taylor Townsend and Christopher Eubanks from the USA, and French players Diane Parry and Luca Van Assche.
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Thiem suffered a wrist injury during the 2021 grass-court season which sidelined him for nine months. But lately, the Austrian has gradually found his feet back on the tour as he started from outside the top 350 to world No. 102.
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He won 22 of his last 33 matches, which included semifinal runs at ATP events in Gstaad, Gijon and Antwerp. Similarly, he also registered multiple wins over top 20 players. Thiem holds a 19-8 at the Australian Open, which includes the second week runs in 2017, 2018 and 2021 and runners-up finish in 2020.
In the 2020 finals, Thiem fell a set short against Novak Djokovic, who registered a 6–4, 4–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4 victory. This defeat in the final, helped Thiem win the US Open title later that year, where he took down on a tiebreak against Alexander Zverev after a five-set thriller. But after winning his maiden Grand Slam, Thiem suffered his injury which sidelined him for a long time.
The former world No.3 returned to competitive tennis in the 2022 season and is reclaiming his championship-winning form. In a recent interview, the Austrian revealed that he achieved he had set a goal of reaching the Top 100 after starting the 2022 campaign outside of the Top 300. He also revealed that he is on the right track and is satisfied with his progress so far.
“I told myself I have to put a little bit of pressure on myself again to start winning matches again, and it worked out well," said Thiem. "From 300 in the rankings to 100 in just three or four months, which was very good."
"The direction was definitely right. Still, I was not playing at my top level again and I wanted to switch around in the off-season. I really have the feeling I’m on a good way and at the same time, the expectations are rising for the New Year," he added.