Thiem 'to compete in new sport after tennis' and has already played four matches

Dominic Thiem will compete in a different sport after retiring from professional tennis. The 2020 US Open champion officially ended his career on home soil at this week’s Vienna Open, losing in the first round. But he’s already looking to the future. Thiem has founded a football club and has played four matches, with plenty more to come in retirement. Thiem announced his plans to retire back in May and officially stepped away from tennis on Tuesday following his loss to Luciano Darderi in Vienna. The former world No. 3 was ready to retire. He picked up a wrist injury in mid-2021 - less than a year after winning his first and only Grand Slam title at the US Open - and never rediscovered his best form. Ahead of his retirement, Thiem turned his attention to some new projects, including Ecoballers FC. The 31-year-old founded the non-league football club earlier this year along with his brother Moritz, Luka Matic and Sascha Eigner. The club currently sits third in the 4th Division South league of the Leisure Football Association in Austria. And Thiem has already made four appearances, scoring two goals. The 17-time tour title winner wears the number 14, while his brother is in the 11. In their latest game, they trashed rival team The Hammers 8-1, with Thiem scoring the eighth and final goal at the 49th minute. Fellow co-founder Eigner scored a hattrick. Now that Thiem has officially retired and will have more time to play football, Transfermarkt honoured the former world No. 3 with his own transfer post, jokingly confirming his sporting switch. “Dominic Thiem is leaving Tennis to play football, Done Deal!” they wrote. “Former professional tennis player who was ranked no. 3 of the world, has founded the sustainable football club @ecoballers.fc trying to redefine the game. “Of course he will also lace the boots himself. Good game and all the best, Dominic.”