On 3 October 2026, the Austrian newspaper Der Standard published a long interview with Dominic Thiem under the headline “Die Geschäfte eines Frühpensionisten”, or “The Business of an Early Retiree”. The irony in the title is obvious: Thiem ended his career in autumn 2024, but judging by his current schedule, retirement is hard to spot. Since February 2026, he has been a brand ambassador for Samsung Austria, while also mentoring young tennis players at Thiem Academy Burgenland, and in his conversation with journalists he spoke in detail about business projects, investments and how his ordinary day has changed.
Technology, sleep and chocolate
The partnership with Samsung Austria was officially announced on 23 February 2026 in a company press release. It identified three themes that Thiem is focusing on in the collaboration: technological performance, fitness and wellbeing tracking, and sustainability. Samsung stresses that Thiem is involved in shaping the content of the initiative himself, rather than simply serving as the face of the campaign.
“Technology can really change lives, not only in sport, but also in everyday life. I am delighted to be working with such a strong partner as Samsung Austria.” Dominic Thiem, Samsung Newsroom Austriaapi.tennis
Thiem can speak from personal experience about how technology changes everyday life. In his interview with Der Standard, he described the routine he has built since leaving the tour: a walk as soon as he gets up, a set sleep schedule, no coffee after 3 p.m. and no desserts at night. According to him, the last two rules were suggested by data from a wearable tracker: “After 3 p.m., no coffee and no dessert for dinner: I learned that from sleep tracking on my smart watch.”
The former world No. 3 also follows his own approach to food, without austerity and with an honest admission of his own weaknesses.
“I like the 80/20 formula... I love sweets, especially chocolate.” Dominic Thiem, Der Standard interviewapi.tennis
The academy where he is a mentor and his father is the director
The second major part of his current life is Thiem Academy Burgenland in Oberpullendorf. On the academy’s website, Thiem is listed as Mentor & Ambassador, while the sporting director and head of the academy is his father, Wolfgang Thiem. The academy relies on a “dual educational pathway”: together with BSSM Oberschützen, it combines athletic training and education.
The new name and new cooperation were introduced in July 2025, when the state government of Burgenland announced them. The statement emphasised that Thiem gives the project its name and at the same time works in it as an active mentor, a source of sporting impetus. On the academy’s website, he explains his role like this:
“I have experienced so much through tennis, and now it is time to give something back”. Dominic Thiem, official website of Thiem Academy Burgenlandapi.tennis
Energy, glasses and startups
Thiem’s business portfolio, as Der Standard reports, is much broader than tennis. Together with his brother Moritz and Solah GmbH, he created Thiem Energy, a citizen energy community. On the project’s official website, the model is described as a Bürgerenergiegemeinschaft: surplus green generation is distributed directly among participants.
Thiem also has a project from the fashion world: the THIEM VIEW eyewear line, which he develops together with the Austrian optical chain Optik Wutscher. The new collection was presented on 25 June 2026 at the chain’s flagship store in Vienna.
As an investor, he names stakes in three companies: NEOH, which makes functional snacks, the sports investment platform Fantium and ScorePlay, a developer of digital tools for sports content. Alongside the new projects, long-standing advertising partners remain in place: in addition to Samsung, Thiem keeps contracts with Red Bull, adidas and BMW. His official channels also confirm this.
The road to farewell
The main chapter of Thiem’s tennis biography remains US Open 2020. In the final, he was two sets down to Alexander Zverev and still won. Such a comeback in the US Open final had not happened since 1949. Thiem reached his peak ranking, world No. 3, on 2 March 2020. His record includes 17 ATP titles and three more Grand Slam finals. He won his biggest Masters title in Indian Wells in 2019, beating Roger Federer in the final.
The turning point in his career came in June 2021, when Thiem seriously injured his right wrist. He never managed to return to peak form. In May 2024, he announced that he would retire at the end of the season. In his interview with Der Standard, he recalls that he had already made up his mind earlier: “I made the decision to quit at the beginning of the year, and I had six months to prepare.”
Thiem played his last official match on 22 October 2024 at home at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, losing to Luciano Darderi 6:7(6), 2:6. The ATP and the tournament held a farewell ceremony for him under the slogan “One last dance!” and staged an exhibition set against Alexander Zverev, the same opponent from the final in New York. After the match, Thiem spoke to BBC Sport about mixed emotions.
“Those emotions… will never come back. It hurts. But… it was the right decision”. Dominic Thiem, BBC Sportapi.tennis
The bitterness in those words sat alongside gratitude: “I’ve had so many nice goodbyes… The whole journey has been an absolute dream,” he told BBC Sport the same day. Roger Federer, BBC Sport wrote, congratulated Thiem on a brilliant career, noting his powerful backhand and sportsmanship.
Chelsea, a koala and a book of greatest moments
Away from business and tennis, Thiem has long-standing passions. One of them is Chelsea. He has supported the London club since 2004 and has visited Stamford Bridge. He told the club’s official website: “The connection to the club is super important to me. I’ve been a fan since 2004”.
Another story is tied to Vienna’s Schönbrunn Zoo. According to the zoo’s press office, Thiem was patron of a female giant anteater in 2016, and in 2020 he became sponsor of a koala cub. He collected his best tennis years in the picture book My Greatest Moments, which can be bought in his official online store.
What the partners say and what lies ahead
In a press release, Samsung Austria described Thiem as a suitable and enriching partner for promoting innovation and sustainability. In Burgenland, the academy is seen as an investment in the future. The state’s sports councillor, Heinrich Dorner, calls it a pilot project and a tool that should strengthen Burgenland’s status as the number one sports region: “Die Tennisakademie Burgenland ist ein Pilotprojekt… ein Beitrag zur Zukunft des Spitzensports in unserem Land”. Sport Burgenland CEO Anton Beretsky speaks of the academy’s role as a “startup” that helps the region achieve its sporting goals.
Thiem’s next meeting with fans will take place where he said goodbye to the court. On 24 and 25 October 2026, the Erste Bank Open in Vienna will feature Opening Weekend and Super Fan Day with Dominic Thiem. The programme includes an autograph session, a retro match, ball-flight and a prize draw for a practice session with Thiem on the centre court. Almost two years after his last match, he will step back onto Vienna’s centre court, this time for those who come for an autograph.