KITZBÜHEL, July 23, 2024
Dominic Thiem has played his last singles match at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel. In front of 8,500 spectators on a packed Center Court, the 30-year-old Austrian lost to Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina 6-2, 6-4 in the first round on Tuesday evening.
Tirante sent down seven aces and won 82 per cent of his first-service points to advance in one hour and 13 minutes.
Emphatic 👊
Thiago Agustin Tirante upsets the home crowd by ending Thiem’s Kitzbuhel hopes#GeneraliOpen pic.twitter.com/3ghsGJ41hF
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 23, 2024
“I know it was very tough. Dominic is a great player. I always watch him on TV and it was a pleasure to play against him tonight,” Tirante said.
After the match, things became especially emotional for Thiem. The organizers of the Generali Open made sure to give their star a proper send-off. The 2020 US Open champion was presented with a Kitzbühel chamois adorned with hundreds of Swarovski crystals for his exceptional career.
“Kitzbühel was always something special. I will always remember the day I gained my first ATP points, the first final in front of thousands of fans, and, of course, the tournament win in 2019 were unforgettable experiences. And then the unexpected run to the final last year, that was the cherry on top. Kitzbühel will always remain in my heart,” said Thiem, who will end his professional tennis career after the Erste Bank Open ATP 500 tournament in Vienna in late October. Thiem captured the title in Kitzbühel in 2019 and finished runner-up twice, including last year – the last final of his career.
“Our history over the past 14 years has been a shared one here at the tournament. We have grown together. Saying goodbye to Dominic in a sporting sense touches us deeply, and we can only say thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us and tennis,” said Tournament Director Alexander Antonitsch.
However, there is still one chance to witness Thiem competing in Kitzbühel, as he will play doubles alongside German Daniel Altmaier against Alexander Erler of Austria and Germany’s Andreas Mies on Wednesday afternoon.
