Thiem on fitness after withdrawal from Mubadala World Tennis Championships: "At the moment it is only 80 percent"

Dominic Thiem has admitted that he is not fully ready for a return to action this week at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships.

Thiem was set to return this week in Abu Dhabi but will now switch his focus to the Australian Open after admitting he was only at 80% fitness after injury setbacks throughout 2021.

"Of course I would have loved to play, but it was clear that it would be close," Thiem said. My whole process is going according to plan, I am absolutely pain-free, just lagging behind in punch training.

"Experience has shown that everyone plays at full capacity in Abu Dhabi. But I'm not ready for such matches yet, only face it when my forehand is at 100 percent. At the moment it is only 80 percent."