ISTANBUL

World number 15 Dominic Thiem has decided to skip the Australian Open scheduled to begin on Jan. 17, he confirmed on Tuesday.

"I will not play this year at the Australian Open in Melbourne, a city that I love and where I have great memories of unforgettable matches in front of amazing crowds," Thiem said on Twitter.

He has not made an appearance since the Mallorca Open in June due to a wrist injury.

"As you all know, I came back home to Austria to recover after the hard practice sessions I had in Dubai and the slight set back in my preparation. I am now feeling well again, my wrist is in optimal conditions and I am practicing normally with a very good intensity," Thiem said.

The Austrian tennis star said that he would start the 2022 season in South America at the Cordoba Open in Argentina at the end of January.