Dominic Thiem has opened up about his exchange with former world No.1 Andy Murray following their match at the Madrid Open on Monday.
The pair have struggled with injuries in recent years, with Thiem's appearance in Madrid just his third tour event in almost a year due to a wrist problem. Murray, meanwhile, has been plagued by a long-standing hip injury which forced him to undergo two major surgeries and he now plays with a metal hip.
Murray faced Thiem in the first round of the Madrid Open, with the pair facing off for the first time in three years. After Murray won the match 6-3, 6-4, he shared a heartwarming moment with Thiem at the net, saying: "It's great to see you back. Keep going. It takes a lot of time but you'll be fine."
When asked about his exchange with Murray, Thiem said: "It was very nice, his words at the net, and it is worth even more from someone like him who really went through that recovery process.
"He is one of the few who knows how tough it is to come back after a major injury and obviously he is a role model with how he came back with his hip injury."
Murray was full of praise for Thiem when asked about the Austrian's return from injury. "It's not easy coming back from such a long time [away]," he said.
"I hope that it's just sort of a mental thing that he will get through with more matches and that it's not still something that is causing him pain or discomfort. At times he hit it well, but there were certainly specific shots that usually he would make.
"He is still serving well, has a fantastic kick serve and was hitting his backhand very well. He's an excellent mover."
Murray beat Denis Shapovalov, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 in the second round to setup a last 16 clash with Novak Djokovic. However, the 34-year-old was forced to pull out of that match due to illness.
