VIENNA, Austria (AP) 鈥� Still regaining his form from a wrist injury, former finalist Dominic Thiem announced Tuesday that he is withdrawing from the Australian Open and will instead begin his 2022 season in South America.
Thiem said he had a 鈥渟light setback鈥� in his preparation but is 鈥渘ow feeling well again.鈥�
鈥淚 will start the season in South America at the Cordoba Open in Argentina, end of January, and therefore I will not play this year at the Australian Open,鈥� Thiem said. "I will miss the Australian fans but I will be back in 2023.
鈥淢y wrist is in optimal conditions and I am practicing normally with a very good intensity,鈥� Thiem added. 鈥淲e believe this is the right decision in order to have a good return to competition.鈥�
Thiem was hurt in June while playing in the Mallorca Open and also missed Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
The Australian Open begins Jan. 17. Thiem reached the final in Melbourne in 2020, losing to Novak Djokovic.
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