LOS ANGELES (REUTERS, AFP) - Dominic Thiem will not defend his US Open title after pulling out of the hard-court Grand Slam with a wrist injury, the world No. 6 said on Wednesday (Aug 18).

The Austrian's withdrawal did not come as a surprise as the injury he picked up in June at the Mallorca Open led to him skipping Wimbledon as well as the Tokyo Olympics.

Thiem added on Twitter he will miss the rest of the year, including the season-ending ATP Finals, to rehabilitate.

The 27-year-old, the only man born in the 90s to have won a Major, revealed that he would have to wear a wrist splint for at least a month and in a tweet to his fans, said: "It has been a tough decision but I know this is what I have to do.

"I have a long career ahead of me and it's important not to take risks and rush back... I want to thank you for all the support that you have given me so far.

"It really means a lot to me and gives me a lot of strength and helps me stay positive in this difficult time. I will use this time where I'm not competing to stay in shape and put more focus on causes I'm very committed to, such as sustainability, especially ocean conservation and nature."