Australian Open 2023: 'Ready to go at the Grand Slam' - Dominic Thiem after overcoming injury anguish

The 2023 Australian Open starts the following Monday. Quite a few top players will be competing at the event. It includes the 2020 runner-up Dominic Thiem of Austria. He has struggled with injuries over the last three years, while the former world number three has slipped to the 99th rank. Ahead of the Slam, he participated in the 2023 Adelaide International, only to be beaten in the qualifiers by Kwon Soon-wo of South Korea. Also, he appeared in the 2023 Kooyong Classic, where he lost to Alex de Minaur of Australia 6-4, 6-4, but displayed glimpses of his previous best.

However, despite the struggles, Thiem has expressed his confidence as he prepares to enter the AO. "The body is good. Last year was a good step in the right direction. I hope I can continue in that direction this year. Hopefully, the Open is a good start," he said, reports AFP.

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"I'm ready to go at the Grand Slam, but I don't know how good I am now. It's complicated to go deep in a Slam. All of the players are on a high level. But, I had a good preparation, so I should be ready -- we'll see," added Thiem.

Despite being at a low rank, Thiem has been added to AO as a wild card. Speaking on the same, the Austrian feels, "My wildcard is a big honour and a strong possibility [to perform nicely]. If I have the chance to cause some damage, we will see if I can make that happen. I'm glad I've left my injury behind. The body feels good."