Thiem dream! Austrian saves two match points for emotional win over Tommy Paul in Vienna

After rallying from a set down against Tommy Paul on Tuesday in Vienna, it appeared that Dominic Thiem had run out of steam – and opportunities – against the American. Facing two match points in the third-set tiebreak, the 2019 Erste Bank Open champion never quit.

Thiem steeled himself as Paul wilted, and the former world No 3 surged to an improbable and emotional victory, 2-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(6).

The world No 113 will face either top-seeded Daniil Medvedev or Nikoloz Basilashvili in the second round.

Thiem has now won seven of his last nine matches, after reaching semi-finals at Gijon and Antwerp, and he has won two of his last three third-set tiebreaks, winning against Hubert Hurkacz in Antwerp in addition to today’s victory (he lost to Sebastian Korda in a third-set breaker in the semi-final at Antwerp).

Thiem – “It could have gone either way”

A difficult opening set, one in which Thiem was out of sync with his game and not comfortable in the conditions, put the Austrian on the back foot, but he responded with elevated tennis in sets two and three to take down the world No 30.

Thiem, the 2019 Vienna champion, said that he really missed the atmosphere of a full crowd at his home tournament, even if he struggled at times to control his shots.

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“I was always running behind the whole match today and I guess that’s what you call home advantage, the crowd was unbelievable,” Thiem said. “I really missed that three years ago was the last time I had an atmosphere like this here. So, just happy that I won it at the end because it could have gone easily the other way today.”

Thiem improved to 16-9 lifetime at Vienna with his win, but admitted that conditions aren’t exactly easy for him to manage.

“Somehow the conditions are always different here in this stadium,” Thiem said. “Since the first time I played here, they are like nowhere else you know? Because some other tournaments are similar but here it’s different, this centre court. So I had troubles to get into the match, and he was playing well as well. ”

In the final set Thiem rallied from a break down, saving a break point at 1-4, before breaking Paul to get back on serve in the ninth game.

A meaningful win

He then held for 5-all, and again to force the tiebreak.

In the tiebreak, Paul led 6-4, but played a few loose points to let Thiem wiggle out of trouble. Thiem won the final four points as the crowd went wild in Vienna.

“And good that I kept the match close in the second set and played the best tennis in the tiebreaks,” Thiem said.

Thiem rises to 107 in the live rankings with his triumph.

“That’s a big win, especially after two weeks (semi-finals in Gijon and Antwerp) to back it up in this tournament,” Thiem said. “The players who are competing are like only top-30, top-40. As I said before the tournament a victory against Tommy Paul would be unbelievable for me; it would be great stuff, and here I am – I won the match, so super, super happy.”

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