Dominic Thiem honored with 2024 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award

Despite calling an end to a hugely successful career this season, Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem was awarded the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award by the ATP.

Thiem had been struggling with injuries since 2021, making sporadic appearances on tour as he fought to regain his form. The 31-year old eventually announced his plans to retire in front of his home crowd at the 2024 Vienna Open.

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Arthur Ashe Award recognizes players for their humanitarian contributions

The prestigious award features a list of winners who have all left an impact both on and off the court. Named after tennis trailblazer Arthur Ashe, the award has been presented to the likes of Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime was last year's recipient, as he was recognized for his humanitarian work in Africa.

Thiem was given the award for his dedication to projects involving sustainable energy. The 2020 US Open champion expressed his delight at being chosen to receive the award.

"When I was told I would be named the recipient of the 2024 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, I looked at the list of champions who have won the honor before me," wrote Thiem in an article for the ATP. "Arthur Ashe. Andre Agassi. Roger Federer. Rafael Nadal. Novak Djokovic. Those are just a few.
"That is just a small sample. They all have done amazing things and created really helpful projects to benefit many people around the world. I'm super proud that my name could even be mentioned alongside theirs.
"Funny enough I won the biggest title of my career, the 2020 US Open, inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. But to me, Arthur Ashe is always the person and the player, not the stadium. When I hear his name, I always think first about who he was as a human being and the great impact he had, and still has today on communities throughout the world."

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