Austrian tennis player Dominic Thiem criticized Alexander Bublik for his hurtful remarks during their match at the US Open on August 28th. Microphones picked up Bublik using disrespectful language towards Thiem, calling him disabled. Despite losing to Thiem in three straight sets, Bublik stated that he was tired of helping disabled people succeed in their careers.
After the match, a reporter informed Thiem about Bublik’s comments. During the press conference, the reporter asked Thiem about what Bublik had said on Twitter during the second set. Thiem responded respectfully, mentioning that such words should not be used to hurt anyone anywhere in the world. He wasn’t sure if the translation was accurate, but he believed those words shouldn’t be said out of respect.
Bublik’s frustration seemed to stem from his recent losses to players like Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils, who had been dealing with injuries. Thiem himself had been struggling with a wrist injury since 2021, causing him to take breaks from playing for quite a while. Despite his early promise, the 29-year-old Thiem had faced multiple challenges and was happy to have won the US Open in 2020.
During the match at Flushing Meadows, Thiem defeated Alexander Bublik with a score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. This victory was especially meaningful for Thiem as it broke his streak of six consecutive first-round losses in Grand Slam tournaments. It marked his first win in a major tournament in over two and a half years.
Thiem expressed his happiness about the victory, stating that the match went well from the beginning. He mentioned that this win was significant because it had been a long time since he won at a Grand Slam. Despite facing challenges, he appreciated the personal growth he had experienced and was grateful for the journey, even though it hadn’t always been smooth in terms of his tennis performance. Thiem’s win was one of the highlights of the first day of the US Open 2023, where players like Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek also had successful starts.