Dominic Thiem blasts US Open title critics: ‘It’s my name on the trophy!’
Dominic Thiem has fired back at anyone claiming his US Open title has been devalued by the absence of the Big Three from the tournament.
The US Open was the first major tournament to take place last year following the enforced five month suspension of the ATP Tour and WTA Tour due to the coronavirus crisis.
Rafael Nadal was one of the players who decided not to travel, while Roger Federer was out recovering from double knee surgery.
Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, was sensationally – and unfortunately – disqualified in the fourth round after accidentally hitting a female line-judge in the throat with a spare ball.
That left the road relatively clear for Thiem to win his maiden major, and he reacted angrily when asked by a reporter if it meant less due to the absence of the Big Three.
“Nobody knows if I would have won it, but, well, I have the title and that’s all that counts,” Thiem said.
“Of course, the Big Three is the Big Three but there was also a time before them and nobody asks if Grand Slam titles were worth more or less back then and the same applies now.
“A Grand Slam title is always worth the same, so there is really no need to even think about it.
“After all, my name is on the trophy and it always will be. It doesn’t really matter who I beat and who was or wasn’t there.”