“Welcome to the club” – 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem congratulates Carlos Alcaraz on his US Open title

2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem has congratulated Carlos Alcaraz on his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open.

Thiem, who himself won his maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows two years ago, acknowledged Alcaraz’s historic feat and welcomed him to the elite list of Grand Slam champions.

“Congrats Carlos Alcaraz! Welcome to the club!” he remarked.

Dominic Thiem congratulates Carlos Alcaraz

This is the third consecutive year that a maiden Grand Slam winner has been crowned the US Open champion in the men’s singles event.

Dominic Thiem paved the way for a generation beyond the 'Big-3' to win Grand Slam titles. Born in 1993, he became the first person born in the 1990s to win a Major.

The title, however, did not come easily to the Austrian. Thiem was able to get his hands on the coveted champion's trophy after taking home the runner-up trophy from three Grand Slam finals. The former World No. 3 was a finalist at the 2018 and 2019 French Open, losing to Rafael Nadal. He then reached his first hardcourt Major final at the 2020 Australian Open, but was halted by Novak Djokovic in five sets.

After these tough defeats, Thiem found success at the 2020 US Open against his good friend Alexander Zverev and broke new grounds.

The following year, former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev lifted his first Grand Slam title in his second US Open final. The Russian first reached the final of the US Open in 2019 where he was defeated by Rafael Nadal in five sets despite a valiant effort from Medvedev to make a comeback from two sets down.

At the 2021 US Open, Medvedev defied all odds to outclass Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated clash in the final The Serb was gunning to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the calendar Grand Slam but lost to the Russian in straight sets.

Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, scripted his own record at the 2022 US Open. The Spaniard defeated 23-year-old Casper Ruud to hoist his first Grand Slam trophy. By doing so, he became the youngest male World No. 1 in the Open Era. Carlos Alcaraz also became the first player born in the 2000’s to achieve this feat.

---

Dominic Thiem and Carlos Alcaraz are yet to play each other

The stars haven’t aligned for Dominic Thiem and Carlos Alcaraz to compete against each other.

Thiem’s current struggles with his form have seen him dwindle from the center stages of tournaments. The former World No. 3 and the new World No. 1, however, have hit the practice courts together in the past. Back in 2020, Alcaraz posted a picture with the Austrian after their practice session in Rio de Janeiro.

He expressed his excitement to have trained with Thiem.

“Great training today with Dominic Thiem. I was very excited to train with you,” he had mentioned.

The 29-year-old Austrian will now be seen competing at a Challenger event in Rennes, France as he continues his comeback journey from a wrist injury that kept him on the sidelines for almost nine months.