“A Cool Dude”: Dominic Thiem Reveals Andre Agassi As His Role Model During His Childhood

Former World No. 3 Dominic Thiem broke the barrier for the next generation when he won the US Open last year. The Austrian ace raised his level of gameplay in the past couple of seasons. In his recent meetings against Nadal and Djokovic, the Austrian has recorded a better win percentage against the two best players in the world. 

Recently, the Austrian tennis player Dominic Thiem revealed American tennis player Andre Agassi as his childhood hero. The 50-year-old won eight Grand Slam titles during his career, winning all four Majors. The four-time Australian Open champion won all the big honors in the game, including a gold medal at the Olympics. 

Dominic Thiem: “Would’ve loved to play against Andre Agassi”

When Thiem was asked about his childhood idol, he stated, “Andre Agassi. His outfit was legendary, a cool dude – for the kids in particular. We met years ago, it was a really nice meet and greet. I would have loved to play against Andre.”

Agassi enjoyed a great rivalry with fellow compatriot Pete Sampras. After hanging his boots in 2006, Andre used to be associated with the tennis community by making appearances at various tournaments. He took up a coaching role by joining Djokovic’s team during the 2017-2018 season. At the moment, Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov is training under Agassi’s guidance. 

Interestingly, Thiem’s journey came to an end at the Australian Open 2021 at the hands of Dimitrov. In the previous round match, the Austrian fought back brilliantly against Nick Kyrgios. He won the match after losing the first two sets, winning the next three. Although the match was played in the initial rounds, it is considered one of the best matches of the tournament. 

The 2020 US Open champion will next be seen at the Miami Open, the first ATP Masters 1000 of the season. The Indian Wells tournament which is usually held before is postponed. 

Also Read: Dominic Thiem Breaks Into Top-10 in All-Time ATP List of Prize Money Earners