PARIS: Two-time French Open runner-up Dominic Thiem, whose ranking has slipped to 194 after a lengthy battle with a wrist injury, crashed out in the first round today, losing 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to Hugo Dellien of Bolivia.
Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion, has yet to win a match in five attempts since his return in March. He has now lost 10 tour-level matches in a row. His last victory came in Rome just over a year ago.
The 28-year-old Austrian, a former world No 3, reached at least the quarterfinals at Roland Garros five years running from 2016 to 2020. He finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal in 2018 and 2019.
Dellien, ranked 87th, recorded only his third Grand Slam main-draw win. He made the second round of the French Open and US Open in 2019.