With Dominic Thiem retired, who is the most talented 'One Slam Wonder' still active in tennis?

Dominic Thiem retired from tennis at the age of 31 after persistent struggles with injuries. The talented Austrian reached the pinnacle of his career at the 2020 US Open, where he bagged his only Grand Slam title.

Thiem has struggled with wrist injuries over the last two years and decided to end his career at his home tournament, the 2024 Erste Bank Open in Vienna, Austria. During his career, the former World No. 3 found success in every tier of the ATP Tour, winning 10 titles at the 250 level, five at the 500 level, one at the Masters 1000 level, and, of course, one Grand Slam at the 2020 US Open.

His triumph in New York allowed him entry into the Grand Slam winners club, but his failure to add to that tally also made Thiem part of the 'One Slam Wonder' club. Before his retirement, the Austrian was one of three active players on the ATP Tour who had won only one Grand Slam title and among 12 on both the tours combined.

Thiem was arguably the most talented One Slam Wonder, with his ferocious one-handed backhand, powerful groundstrokes, and overall court coverage making him lethal against the best of the best. Facts back this argument as Thiem was the only one apart from Andy Murray to have beaten each of the Big 3 - Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal - at least five times.

With his career now concluded, there are several candidates to replace Dominic Thiem as the most talented One Slam Wonder still active on the tennis circuit. There are 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic and 2018 Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, who are now past their prime but still showing the world, from time to time, their mettle.

2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko and 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens have managed to play consistently at the top level but failed to produce results at the Grand Slams since their triumph. Other One Slam Wonders like 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin, 2022 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, and 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova have struggled with injuries. But even when they are fully fit, they have not been able to get past the current top players on the tour.

This leaves just three players in contention. 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff is the youngest One Slam Wonder. The 20-year-old American has shown huge potential and maturity beyond her age. Her powerful shot-making, wall-to-wall court coverage, and ability to switch momentum make her a very lethal opponent. But Gauff still has to improve her shaky serve and backhand, which have let her down on multiple occasions, especially against Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.

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Elena Rybakina is best suited to replace Dominic Thiem as most talented One Slam Wonder

Elena Rybakina and Dominic Thiem (Source: Getty)

2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina pips Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 US Open winner, by the barest of margins to replace Dominic Thiem as the most talented One Slam Wonder. Medvedev is, without a doubt, among the best players of his generation and has proved himself over and over again, reaching six Grand Slam finals so far in his career.

Medvedev has outfoxed every top opponent with his perseverance and excellent court craft. However, he has faced troubles against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who have swept aside the Russian more often than not with their brute power. In addition, Medvedev also struggles on clay courts, with Roland Garros being his worst-performing Slam.

While Elena Rybakina has wrestled with injuries, when the Kazakh is fully fit, she can hit anyone, even Swiatek and Sabalenka, out of the park. Rybakina possesses power that is rarely seen in women's tennis, which makes her groundstrokes even more unplayable. When in trouble, she can easily find a way out with her huge serve. In fact, the 25-year-old, despite playing just 14 tournaments in 2024, leads the tour in aces with 336.

Confident shot-making and ability to adapt to all surfaces give Rybakina a huge advantage over other One Slam Wonders. In addition to a Grand Slam title on Wimbledon grass, the Kazakh is a former Australian Open finalist and two-time Roland Garros quarterfinalist. Moreover, Rybakina's numbers against her top rivals make her the most talented One Slam Wonder.

She is the only woman in the top 10 of the WTA rankings to have a positive head-to-head record against Iga Swiatek, having beaten her on four out of six occasions. Against Aryna Sabalenka, Rybakina holds a respectable 3-6 record.