Jimmy Connors wonders why Dominic Thiem did not seek his help as he relates to 'frustrated' Austrian about career-ending wrist injury

Former American tennis professional Jimmy Connors has expressed surprise that Dominic Thiem not seeking his advice while nursing a career-ending wrist injury. Connors recently suggested he would've helped Thiem, given he himself endured similar problems towards the end of his career.

Connors began playing tennis professionally in 1972 and retired in 1996 after claiming a record 109 singles titles, including eight at the Grand Slams.

Thiem joined the American in the list of retired tennis professionals recently as he hung his racket up at the 2024 Vienna Open after struggling with a persistent wrist injury since 2021.

"I can identify with the wrist injury," Connors said in a recent episode of the Advantage Connors podcast (at 6:49). "I had something similar with my wrist but it wasn’t until, you know, my career was almost over. I did it just to extend it for another year but to have that happen at such a young age is brutal."

The former World No. 1 reflected on what Thiem would have endured in the final couple of years on the ATP Tour. He added:

"Also, to have to deal with that, trying to do whatever you can for your wrist to feel better but also going out and playing the matches, knowing that’s always in the back of your mind, ‘How’s my wrist going to hold up?’ You end up getting frustrated. I’m sure that’s what happened to him.

"Man oh man! You don’t really think about it, as far as the wrist goes, you think my back, my neck, my legs, you don’t really think about your hands and your feet. Like I said, I can identify with those guys and wish those guys would’ve gone back in time and come talk to me."

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"It would’ve been a conversation I would’ve liked to have with Dominic Thiem" - Jimmy Connors

In Picture: Dominic Thiem (Getty)

During the same episode of the Advantage Connors podcast, Jimmy Connors further noted that he could relate to what Dominic Thiem must have felt playing with the injury.

"I fought that and was out and knew what it was like to go and try to play with my wrist not right, how it affected me and the losses I had," Connors said (at 8:35).

The American continued:

"So, I wish he [Dominic Thiem] would’ve come and talked but that’s not my place to do that, those guys, the young guys I’m sure they have doctors and everybody who travel with them now but it would’ve been a conversation I would’ve liked to have with him."

Thiem's pro career began in 2011 and lasted till 2024. During the period, he clinched a total of 17 singles titles, winning the US Open trophy in 2020.