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SEVEN FACTS ABOUT US OPEN CHAMPION DOMINIC THIEM

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Austria’s Dominic Thiem, who beat German Alexander Zverev 2-6 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-6(6) to win the US Open title

on Sunday (Sept 13), is the first player other than Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic to win a Grand Slam since Swiss Stan Wawrinka captured the 2016 US Open.

Here is a look at Thiem’s career so far.

1. He was born on Sept 3, 1993 in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. His parents are Wolfgang and Karin Thiem, both of whom are tennis coaches, and he began playing at the age of six.

2. He made his ATP Tour debut in 2011 at Kitzbuehel as a wildcard, losing to Daniel Gimeno-Traver in the first round. He won his first main draw match later that year, against compatriot Thomas Muster at Vienna.

3. He made his Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open in 2014, defeating Joao Sousa before losing to Kevin Anderson in the second round. He reached his first ATP Tour final later that year at Kitzbuehel – losing to David Goffin – and ended the year inside the top 50.

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4. He won his first ATP Tour title in Nice the following year and followed it up with titles in Umag and Gstaad, finishing as the youngest player in the top 20.

5. He broke into the top 10 in 2016 after winning titles at Buenos Aires, Acapulco, Nice and Stuttgart, and qualified for the ATP Finals for the first time in his career.

6. He advanced to his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros in 2018, losing to Nadal. He lost again to Nadal in the 2019 French Open final and fell to Djokovic in this year’s Australian Open final.

7. He won his maiden Masters 1000 crown in 2019 at Indian Wells, beating Federer in the final. Thiem ended the season with five titles, joint-most with Djokovic.

-Reuters

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Osaka parts way with her coach

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Naomi Osaka of Japan in action during a match at the U.S. Open in August, 2024. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo 

Naomi Osaka has parted ways with coach Wim Fissette after four years together across two stints, the 26-year-old announced late on Friday.

The former world number one won two of her four Grand Slam titles under the guidance of the Belgian, but is currently 75th in the rankings having returned to the tour nine months ago after a lengthy maternity break.

“Four years, two slams and a whole lot of memories,” Osaka wrote in an Instagram post.

“Thanks Wim for being a great coach and an even greater person. Wishing you all the best.”

Of the 16 tournaments Osaka has played this season, she has made the quarter-finals in only two – Doha and ‘s-Hertogenbosch – and the Japanese player has also failed to go past the second round in each of the four Grand Slams

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-Reuters

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Five US women in top 15 in the world for first time in two decades

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 Coco Gauff of the United States returns a shot during her match against Emma Navarro of the United States (not shown) on day seven of The Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo 

Five players from the United States are ranked in the Women’s Tennis Association’s top 15 for the first time in two decades, the USTA said on Monday.

World number two Coco Gauff led the American charge followed by sixth-ranked Jessica Pegula and Danielle Collins, who climbed two spots to ninth on the list amid a remarkable farewell season.

Madison Keys was ranked 14th while Emma Navarro hopped two spots to a career-high 15th after reaching her first major quarter-final at Wimbledon.

The last time five American women featured in the top 15 was May 24, 2004, when Lindsay Davenport was fourth in the world

-Reuters

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Venus Williams among sporting figures to get own Barbie doll

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 Venus Williams poses with a Barbie doll, in Puerto Rico in this undated handout image. Mattel/WME Sports Studio/Handout via REUTERS

Seven-times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams and Australian soccer player Mary Fowler are among nine athletes to get a Barbie doll in their likeness as toy maker Mattel seeks to shine a light on women sports role models ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Mattel unveiled the dolls on Wednesday, each with their bespoke accessories. Fowler’s wears gloves and holds a football while Williams’ doll, dressed in an all white tennis dress and visor as well as wearing earrings, comes with a miniature racket.

The former world number one said she hoped to motivate young girls into sports with the doll.

“I literally can’t imagine my life without sports and without the game,” Williams said in a video, in which she held the doll.

“I want other young girls to have that invaluable experience of playing a sport and what it teaches you and what you learn and what you take from it, not just that moment (but) for the rest of your life… I think it’s so important for girls to be in sports.”

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Other sports figures to have a doll in their likeness include French boxer Estelle Mossely, Polish sprinter Ewa Swoboda, Spanish doctor and paratriathlon athlete Susana Rodriguez, Italian former swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Canadian soccer player Christine Sinclair as well as Mexican and Brazilian gymnasts, Alexa Moreno and Rebeca Andrade.

The dolls, unveiled as Barbie turns 65 this year, “(recognise) the impact of sport in fostering self-confidence and ambition among the next generation”, Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and Mattel’s Global Head of Dolls, said.

“By shining a light on these inspirational athletes and their stories, we hope to champion the belief that every young girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her passions and turn her dreams into reality,” she said in a statement.

-Reuters

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