Dominic Thiem trades tennis racket for football, joins Austrian club

Dominic Thiem, once a top-ranked tennis player and US Open champion, has embarked on an unexpected new chapter in his athletic career, trading his tennis racket for a football.

The 32-year-old Austrian has officially joined Badener AC, a club competing in the eighth division of Austrian football. His registration with the Austrian Football Federation was completed on July 15, facilitated by a friend already on the team's roster.

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We've heard he's a good player. I hope he plays.

This is not Thiem's first foray into football; he previously played for Lichtenwörth, his hometown team, where he appeared in ten matches and scored one goal. However, his transition to Badener AC comes with no guaranteed starting spot. Sergej Petrovic, head of Badener AC's football section, emphasized that Thiem, despite his sporting prestige, will need to earn his place on the field. "We've heard he's a good player. I hope he plays," Petrovic stated, adding that Thiem will compete under the same conditions as his teammates.

Thiem's tennis career was marked by significant achievements, including reaching a career-high ATP ranking of third, competing in four Grand Slam finals, and winning the 2020 US Open. He also won the 2019 Indian Wells Masters under the guidance of coach Nicolás Massú. After retiring from professional tennis in 2024, Thiem now seeks to maintain his competitive spirit in the more modest setting of Austrian lower-league football.

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As the training sessions have not yet started, I can't say too much about the new signings. He has a friend in the club and I hope he plays very well here. Everyone has to fight for a spot in the starting eleven.