Dominic Thiem set to return to tennis mere weeks after retiring

Dominic Thiem ended his career six weeks ago on home soil with the former World No.3 retiring at the Vienna Open losing his final match to Luciano Darderi. But he will soon be back having signed up for Open de Caen in December.

Thiem retired at the age of 31 after spending some years battling a wrist injury and failing to rediscover his best form. He announced back in May that he planned to end his career and that the Vienna Open was his final stop.

He suffered a 7-6(6), 6-2 defeat in the first round and immediately entered retirement hanging up his racquet in a ceremony post match. But that doesn't stop him playing exhibitions with the Austrian signing up for Open de Caen, a four-day exhibition tournament in Normandy.

“Hello everybody. Keep the date for my first participation, the Open de Caen, from 8th to 11th December,” the 17-time title winner announced.

“I’ll be there for my first match on Monday the 9th. See you there.”

He will face a player who is set to retire himself in short order in Richard Gasquet in the Quarter-Finals. The winner of that match faces World No.14 Ugo Humbert in the semi-final the following day with the championship match set to be played on the Wednesday.

If he reaches the final, he could face Cameron Norrie who has a bye directly into the semi-finals in the other half of the draw. Alexandre Muller, Jules Marie and Adrien Gobart are also playing.

Elise Mertens, Dayana Yastremska, Alice Robbe and Audrey Albie will battle for the women's trophy. Thiem has taken a real. diversion away from tennis since his retirement founding Ecoballers FC, a non-league club based around sustainability with his brother Moritz in Austria and he also scored a hat-trick. But now he needs to get used to tennis again.