Dominic Thiem went down to Rublev in the quarterfinals, slowed down by a blister on his foot. Novak Djokovic meanwhile looked flat and uninspired in his quarterfinal loss to Sonego, winning just three games in the process.
Novak Djokovic has confirmed that he will be ready for the season-ending ATP finals in London, adding that he wasn’t too bothered about his Vienna loss. But there have been some concerns as to whether Dominic Thiem will play the season finale, given that he has pulled out of the Paris Masters.
However, Dominic Thiem’s physio Alex Stober and manager Herwig Straka (who is also the Vienna tournament director) have now given a reassuring update about the Austrian’s injury. Although the blister is not a typical one, Stober is confident that Thiem will be able to prepare for London after a few days of rest.
Some reports had suggested that the Adidas shoes that Dominic Thiem wears may have been responsible for the issue. But Straka dismissed any such claims, instead echoing Thiem’s assertion earlier that the shoes are perfectly fine.
Novak Djokovic shouldn’t have said what he did in the press conference: Vienna tournament director
Straka also commented on Novak Djokovic’s statements in the press after his loss, which had caused a stir among tennis fans. The World No. 1 complimented his opponent for his great play but also said that achieving his goal of winning two matches - thus all but guaranteeing his year-end World No. 1 ranking - may have affected his performance.
Straka was not happy about the latter comment, suggesting that Djokovic could have been more tactful while speaking to the press.
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