"Goal is to regain my best level by the end of the season, to think I can win against any opponent" - Dominic Thiem after ending 14-month winless drought in Bastad

An unfortunate wrist injury in June last year forced Dominic Thiem to sit out of the competition for nine months. He was the World No. 5 according to the ATP rankings at the time. When the Austrian returned to the court in March this year, he found himself as the 50th-ranked player.

However, a long lay-off disrupted Thiem's rhythm and hampered the basics quite significantly as he went on to lose match after match until last week in Bastad. Before defeating Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round of the Swedish Open, the 28-year-old faced seven consecutive first-round exits, including the French Open, the Italian Open, and the Madrid Open.

Thiem, who is currently ranked 274th, stepped up his game to beat World No. 19 Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round at Bastad, but was stopped by an in-form Sebastian Baez in the quarterfinals.

As Thiem gears up for the Swiss Open in Gstaad this week, he is happy with the improvement in his game. In an interview with the ATP, the Austrian stated that he is headed in the right direction.

“The win felt very good and it was much needed," he said. "The ATP Challenger Tour event in Salzburg the week before was also a step in the right direction, with a win there and a tight loss in the next round. I felt there was a big improvement compared to Roland Garros and the other tournaments.

“Crucially, I was able to back it up in Bastad with two very good wins against two top-50 opponents, so that was very good and amazing for my confidence. It's way more fun to win some matches and build some momentum and confidence, and that is exactly what I am going to take forward," he added.

The 2020 US Open winner has a clear goal in mind, which is to get back to his top level by the end of the year. The former World No. 3 realizes that along with the game, he has to work on his mindset and be ready to face any opponent on tour.

“The main goal is to regain my best level by the end of the season, to play the way I was playing before, when I step on the court, and to think that I can win against any opponent. That is not going to happen now or probably by the US Open, but by the end of the year. That is the goal," Thiem said.

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“I feel a bit like I did at the beginning of my career, where every win was special" - Dominic Thiem

Thiem will next participate in the Swiss Open.

The Austrian is all set to take on 59th-ranked Hugo Gaston of France in the first round of the Swiss Open in Gstaad on Tuesday. Other players who will be vying for the title include defending champion Casper Ruud, Matteo Berrettini, and Roberto Bautista Agut.

An excited Dominic Thiem expressed how he was experiencing a feeling similar to the one at the beginning of his career in 2011. The Austrian wants to enjoy each and every victory that comes his way.

“I feel now a bit like I did at the beginning of my career, where every win was something very special. I reached the quarter-finals in Bastad at ATP 250 and it feels huge to me. It was similar at the start of my career," the Austrian said.

"When you are used to going deep, a match win is not as special anymore. But that is not the way it should be. The level is so high, all the players are playing so well, so every match win should be special, and that is how I am feeling again now," he added.