Former world No. 3 Dominic Thiem admitted he didn’t play well versus Hugo Dellien in the French Open first round and admitted that it hurts him to be far away from his best level.Ā
Thiem, who made his long-awaited comeback from a wrist injury in late March, stood no chance versus Dellien in his French Open first round match as the Bolivian saw off the Austrian 6-3 6-2 6-4.Ā
Thiem is now 0-7 since returning and his level is far from the one that was once making him a Grand Slam favorite.Ā
“It was not a good match at all, but it what it is. I knew it would long. The level is extremely high from all the players here. Nothing unexpected happened. It’s painful, I worked a lot, but I have to accept it,” Thiem said, per Tennis Majors.
“I have no serious physical issue, I don’t have mental problem with the forehand, even if I missed a lot. At the practice, the forehand is OK, but in competition I’m missing the nice feeling, there’s more tension.”
Thiem on what he is lackingĀ
Thiem is nowhere near his best level and he identified what he is lacking following his latest defeat.Ā
“There’s not enough power in my shots yet. The first serve doesn’t earn enough. Sometimes I make stupid decisions in the rallies, like dropshots. It’s gonna take time until it’s fine again,” Thiem explained.
“I’m not doing anything different in training sessions than before. I started to have it very consistant 6 or 7 weeks ago. I just have to be patient. It’s gonna take a few more months until I can really say : OK I can beat those guys again.”
Also, Thiem said he might play a Challenger or two as he thinks that might help him win a few matches and gain some confidence.Ā