Thiem's Grand Slam career ends in US Open first round

Dominic Thiem's Grand Slam profession came to an extremity successful nan US Open first information arsenic nan erstwhile New York champion mislaid to Ben Shelton connected Monday.

Austria's Thiem won his sole major astatine Flushing Meadows successful 2020, coming backmost from 2 sets down to hit Alexander Zverev.

However, he struggled severely pinch a wrist wounded afterwards and announced successful May that this would beryllium his past year connected nan tour.

Thiem mislaid 6-4 6-2 6-2 to Shelton, and nan 2 shared a lukewarm clasp astatine nan nett earlier Shelton gestured to nan Arthur Ashe crowd to show immoderate appreciation for his opponent.

There was nary crowd coming erstwhile Thiem lifted nan trophy 4 years agone because of Covid-19 restrictions, but nan 30-year-old thanked those who came retired to watch this clip around.

He was fixed a framed collage of his champion US Open moments successful an on-court position afterwards.

"It's really a really important infinitesimal for maine because I had my top occurrence of my profession present connected this court, successful a weird 2020 successful very unusual and different circumstances," Thiem told nan crowd.

"Unfortunately I had this occurrence without immoderate of you, truthful that was an astonishing moment, but connected nan different manus beautiful sad.

"I'm ace happy that I sewage nan chance to play my past US Open and I tin walk immoderate clip pinch you guys, conscionable to opportunity convey you and to make nan clip up from what we missed 4 years ago."

Thiem, a French Open finalist successful 2018 and 2019 and runner-up astatine nan Australian Open successful 2020, hopes to discontinue astatine his location tourney successful Vienna successful October.

Elsewhere, Germany's Zverev overcame a second-set wobble to advancement connected nan opening day's play successful New York.

Fourth seed Zverev, still searching for a first Grand Slam title aft finishing runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz astatine nan French Open successful June, hit compatriot Maximilian Marterer 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-2.

Novak Djokovic originates his title defence later connected Monday against Radu Albot, pinch Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and Matteo Berrettini besides successful action.