(Reuters) – Former U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem additional delayed his return to motion from a niggling wrist harm on Monday, saying he was pulling out of ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami to focus on the claycourt season.
Thiem, who has a superb file on clay, has not performed since struggling the harm on the 2021 Mallorca Open and the 28-year-old, who has slipped to fiftieth on this planet rankings, was unable to defend his U.S. Open crown final yr.
The Austrian had withdrawn from tournaments in Argentina, Brazil and Chile this yr however had stated he was hopeful of a return at Indian Wells, usually thought of probably the most prestigious match outdoors the 4 grand slam occasions and the place Thiem received the title in 2019.
“I had actually good follow weeks. The wrist is completely fantastic, the hand is getting higher and higher however nonetheless I made a decision to pull out of Indian Wells and Miami and to begin on the clay courtroom,” Thiem stated in a video posted on Instagram.
“It’s nonetheless the floor the place I really feel most comfy so I believe it is the proper time to begin there.”
The claycourt season begins in April.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; enhancing by John Stonestreet)
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