Australian Open regrets all banished, says Thiem

Tennis - ATP Cup - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 5, 2021 Austria's Dominic Thiem in action during his group stage match against France's Benoit Paire REUTERS/Kelly Defina

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Dominic Thiem spent weeks in lockdown haunted by his near-miss at last year's Australian Open but all those regrets were banished after his U.S. Open breakthrough, the Austrian said on Saturday.

Thiem pushed Novak Djokovic to five sets in last year's final at Melbourne Park before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.