Paris (AFP)

The Austrian Dominic Thiem withdrew Wednesday for the US Open (August 30-September 12), of which he had won the 2020 edition, due to the injury to his right wrist which has disturbed him for several months and forced him to put an end to his season.

"I have to make the decision to withdraw from the US Open and end my 2021 season, my wrist is hurting again," said the world No.6 in a video posted to his Instagram account.

"Last week, hitting a forehand, I felt the same pain I felt in Marbella" for the Mallorca tournament in June, said Thiem, who has been wearing a brace on his right arm for several weeks.

The Austrian clarified that he did not plan to undergo the operation, however: "We will continue to work on reinforcement and mobility, I want to be back to 100% of my capacities for the start of the 2022 season. ", he explained.

After his coronation in New York, in September 2020, for his first Grand Slam title, Thiem, 27, reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, exceptionally scheduled in September and October, then the London Masters final for finish the year 2020 in 3rd place in the world.

But he was unable to continue his momentum in 2021 with eliminations in the round of 16 of the Australian Open and in the first round at Roland Garros, before forfeits to Wimbledon, the Olympics and now the US. Open.

His last appearance on the circuit dates back to June for the Mallorca grass tournament where he was forced to retire because of his wrist during his match against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.

At the beginning of July, he had recognized that it would be difficult to put his title on the line in New York: "I can not guarantee anything, or promise myself anything," he told Sky Sports Austria television channel.

Thiem won't be the only notable absent at Flushing Meadows.

Former world No. 1 Roger Federer has also withdrawn and will have to undergo knee surgery again.

The other two members of the "Big Three" who reign supreme in world tennis, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, do not participate in the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, which traditionally serves as a dress rehearsal before the US Open.

Nadal suffered an injured left foot, an injury that forced him to give up the Toronto tournament in early August, while Djokovic has not reappeared on the circuit since the Tokyo Olympics, which he left exhausted mentally and physically, after losing in the semi-finals and in the match for 3rd place.

© 2021 AFP