For Dominic Thiem, retirement came under heartbreaking circumstances in 2024 when injuries forced him to walk away from tennis. He ended his career after reaching four major finals, leaving the sport earlier than anyone had hoped. Now, one long-held dream has brought the Austrian back to the world of sports, but this time it has nothing to do with tennis.

The 32-year-old Austrian has officially registered as a soccer player with Austrian club Badener AC and will now try to earn a place in the squad of the eighth-division side. However, Sergej Petrovic, the manager for the club, welcomed the development and said competition for places would remain the same for everyone.

“We’ve heard that he’s a good player. He has a friend at the club, and I hope he’ll play very well here. Everyone has to fight for a spot in the starting eleven,” Petrovic added.

Few players of the Austrian generation reached the heights Dominic Thiem did during his peak years. The former world No. 3 has won 17 ATP singles titles and famously captured the 2020 US Open title.At his very best, the former French Open runner-up was widely regarded as one of the biggest threats to the dominance of the “Big 3”.

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However, everything changed after the wrist injury Thiem suffered five years ago. Although he returned to competition in 2022, the Austrian never fully regained his level.

Persistent physical problems eventually forced him to retire following the Vienna Open two years ago. It brought the curtain down on one of the most memorable careers on the ATP Tour.

And now, as Thiem has begun a new chapter in soccer, he is finally getting the chance to chase his dream.

Dominic Thiem was always passionate about soccer

Soccer has always held a special place in Dominic Thiem’s life, as the Austrian regularly attended matches and often spoke about his passion for the sport. And as of now, according to player registration details confirmed by the Austrian Football Association (OFB), Thiem’s transfer was officially completed on July 15.

His professional move to Badener AC was made possible through a friend who already plays for the club.

And this is not Thiem’s first experience in soccer either. The 32-year-old previously made 10 appearances and scored 1 goal for his hometown amateur club, SC Lichtenwörth.

And his love for the sport has been evident for years. During one interview with The Telegraph back in 2019, he explained that soccer had become a favorite activity for many tennis players off the court.

“We also love to play against each other because there is not really a danger of injury. We already had 15 or 20 matches against all kinds of teams, maybe three or four a year, including the Slovenian guys a couple of times. The results have been pretty even”, Thiem explained.

Even before that, back in 2018, he had openly spoken about his admiration for soccer. “Football is my passion. I watch as many matches as possible in the European top leagues, I hardly miss a Chelsea match,” Thiem added.

Now, with his registration complete, all eyes will be on the former US Open winner as he gradually begins life playing professional soccer.