Dominic Thiem was as soon as within the enterprise of profitable main titles. Now, not less than in the meanwhile, he’s within the enterprise of ethical victories.
That’s why the Austrian can go away Wimbledon along with his head held excessive regardless of exiting within the first spherical with a loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas. Thiem went toe to toe with the No. 5 seed for everything of three hours and 56 minutes earlier than falling 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-6(10-8) on Wednesday afternoon.
“Clearly it was an ideal encounter, and to me, I’m leaving with heads up,” the 29-year-old commented. “(It) form of confirmed me that I’m nonetheless there. The standard was very, excellent. The preventing spirit was actually, actually good.
“Yeah, this match confirmed me plenty of good issues that I’m nonetheless right here, nonetheless capable of compete with the massive boys of the sport. Clearly it’s powerful, however…nicely…(a) tiebreak within the fifth is sort of a penalty shootout. All credit score to him as nicely how he performed within the ‘breaker.”
Thiem had an opportunity to win it earlier than the tiebreak. The most effective level of the match got here with Tsitsipas serving down 30-40 at 3-3 within the decider, when the 24-year-old answered an ideal backhand move by his opponent with a lunging forehand volley winner.
“How he saved that break level within the fifth was simply unbelievable,” Thiem stated.
Tsitsipas, too, had probabilities of his personal. The Greek introduced up a match level along with his opponent serving at 5-6, however the 2020 U.S. Open champion fought it off with an ideal serve-forehand mixture. Tsitsipas earned his second match level on his personal serve at 9-7 within the ‘breaker, however that chance additionally glided by the wayside. Lastly, Tsitsipas received a have a look at a second serve at 9-8, Thiem didn’t do sufficient with a backhand method shot, and Tsitsipas clinched the win with a forehand passing shot.
With the loss, Thiem is now 7-15 on the ATP degree this season. It has been greater than two years since he suffered a wrist damage in the course of the 2021 grass-court swing, however progress stays sluggish. He’s barely inside the highest 100 at 91st on the earth and even on clay he was enduring early-round losses on the Challenger circuit in latest weeks.
This primary-round ouster was very completely different.
“Right here I’m, you realize,” Thiem stated, “shedding 6-7 within the fifth, enjoying an excellent match, preventing unbelievable. Yeah, it reveals me that I’m right here, that I’m capable of do excellent issues nonetheless. (It) additionally motivates me for the upcoming weeks.”
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and in addition maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
