That’s all from me today. Thanks as always for following. We will be heading into finals weekend tomorrow as Garbiñe Muguruza looks to bounce back to the top of the sport with her third slam title and Sofia Kenin chases her first. Bye.
Updated
Here is Kevin Mitchell’s report on Thiem’s brilliant victory.
"I think he has a chance. He is playing the best tennis of his life" -- Alexander Zverev on Dominic Thiem playing Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) January 31, 2020
Here is tomorrow’s order of play. Garbiñe Muguruza and Sofia Kenin take to the court for the women’s final at 8:30am
#AusOpen Order of Play - Saturday 1 February - RLA
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 31, 2020
Full schedule 👇https://t.co/ynYYR5UDA5#AO2020 pic.twitter.com/RIbmqK5WGW
Although this is Dominic Thiem’s day, Alexander Zverev deserves plenty of credit for what he has achieved already this year. It is difficult to overstate how shambolic his opening performances of the season were at at the ATP Cup as he lost three straight matches, each other younger ‘Next Gen’ players Alexander de Minaur, Denis Shapovalov and Stefanos Tsitsipas. He simply could not find the court with his second serve on any important point and his frustration eventually boiled over as he reduced his father to tears during one match with his verbal abuse. In his words:
This year I actually came into the Australian Open with absolutely no expectations because I was playing horrible. At the ATP Cup I was playing bad, and the weeks before.
Zverev says that he spent 6/7 hours per day training after the ATP Cup and it has been impressive to see him playing with such confidence and solidity throughout the past fortnight. He still needs to gain more control of his forehand and serve, to improve in the forecourt and learn to take the initiative on big points, but this is clearly a step in the right direction. He has finally learnt how to march through a slam draw without unnecessary battles, advancing to the quarters without dropping a set, and he has finally advanced to his first semi-final. There is much more to come.
Friendship 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁𝓈#AO2020 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/DOlgly8OgJ
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 31, 2020
For the 13th year in a Row the Australian Open final is between 2 Europeans.
— enrico maria riva (@enricomariariva) January 31, 2020
Before that it happened only 9 times in the whole Australian Open history
Here is our first report on Thiem’s win.
Thiem on the formidable challenge that awaits.
👑 "He's the King of Australia!" 👑@ThiemDomi on the prospect of facing seven-time champ @DjokerNole in the 🇦🇺 #AusOpen final.pic.twitter.com/rQeoOLHSlz
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 31, 2020
Here is Kevin Mitchell on Garbine Muguruza, who is looking to complete her redemption in tomorrow’s final versus Kenin with a title.
Dominic Thiem after his win:
It was an unreal match. Again, two tiebreaks. So tough and so close. It was almost impossible to break him, he had such a high percentage on his first serve but Australian open Final is absolutely unreal and what a start to the season so far.
It’s not easy [to bounce back], I was playing four hours 10 against Rafa who is is the most intense guy on tour, almost every rally was so intense and long. I was in bed at around 5 yesterday so it was not easy to recover but once all the adrenaline came…
This time last year, Thiem was forced to retire in the second round of the Australian Open with illness and he was in a rut. Nobody really fancied him on hard courts back then and for good reason. With a Masters 1000 title, a final at the ATP Finals and now his first hard court slam final, he is one of the best players in the world on this surface and it has been so impressive to see him turn it around alongside Nicolas Massu.
Although the quality of play wasn’t the greatest throughout the match today, Thiem blazed through the majority of the big points in the final three sets, backing himself from the back of the court and almost always bullying Zverev around the court on the big points: He saved two set points in the third set with winners and then closed off the tiebreak with two forehand winners. In the fourth set tiebreak, he found he first serve as Zverev chased him down at *4-3 and fired off two inside out forehand winners to generate match point.
Few people ever have anything badto say about Thiem. He is a nice guy and perhaps the most sporting player in the ATP, as he showed even today when he instructed Zverev to challenge a call that lost him the game, but he has also found the ruthlessness required on and off the court to be a champion.
Dominic Thiem defeats Alexander Zverev 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(4) to reach the final
Thiem continues an incredible week with a great performance in the clutch moments. He will face Novak Djokovic in the final.
Updated
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 6-6 (6-3*) Alexander Zverev: After an errant call forced the pair to replay the point at *4-3, Thiem slammed found an enormous serve-forehand 1-2 combo, crushing an absurd 164kmh inside out forehand. Then he found another forehand winner to move up match point.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 6-6 (4-2*) Alexander Zverev: After so much great serving in the regular set, Zverev opened his account with a double fault. Then he missed a backhand passing shot by a whisker as Thiem marched into the net and to a *3-0 lead. Thiem responded very kindly, pulling the trigger on a backhand down the line and forehand down the line in successive points, and missing both to bring Zverev back to 3-2. Then Zverev completely bottled a simple overhead. Both players are feeling the pressure here.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 6-6 Alexander Zverev: Another tiebreak awaits. Some magnificent serving from Zverev with his back to the wall. He closed off an easy hold to 15 with a service winner.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 6-5* Alexander Zverev: This time it was Thiem’s turn for some self-inflicted pressure. From 40-0 up, the Austrian dumped a backhand slice into the net before Zverev slipped in a lovely backhand down the line winner. Thiem reacted well himself, finding a big serve-forehand 1-2 to hold for 30. Zverev will serve to stay in the match once more.
Updated
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) *5-5 Alexander Zverev: The pressure is beginning to show but Zverev hangs on. Zverev was cruising up 40-15 and looked well on his way to another easy hold when he threw in a couple of silly errors. However, two points from defeat, the German reset well. He slammed down a big unreturned first serve at deuce and then threw in a genius serve and volley off his second serve.
With Thiem standing miles behind the baseline and simply spinning his returns deep, Zverev was afforded an easy volley to put away the point and the game. We go on.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 5-4* Alexander Zverev: Another hold to 15 for Dominic Thiem, but this one was tighter than it seemed. Not least in a pair of long, gruelling rallies from 15-15. On the first, with both player covering acres of ground before Thiem swept into the net, slipped in a drop volley and then angled his following volley past the German.
In the very next point, the Austrian executed a really nice drop volley to move ahead 40-15. Had he failed to execute either point well, he would be looking at break points. Instead he curled a sliding ace to hold.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) *4-4 Alexander Zverev: Zverev faced the first minuscule bit of pressure there at 40-30 as Thiem threatened to drag him to deuce, but the German kept his cool and produced a brilliant pair of forehands - a vicious crosscourt angle followed by point-ending down the line forehand, to seal the hold.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 4-3* Alexander Zverev: Thiem follows up with a second love hold of the set, closed off with an ace down the T.
Zverev did attempt to dictate play in that game but Thiem crushed two brilliant crosscourt forehands under pressure in successive points to keep him at bay. The scoreboard pressure will soon begin to mount and we will see who, if anyone, blinks first.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) *3-3 Alexander Zverev: This set is moving so quickly with both men holding serve in the blink of an eye. This time Zverev holds to 15 after some big serving. He sealed it off with a strong backhand crosscourt, finishing the point with a tidy volley winner.
Updated
Here is a graphic of Zverev’s rally hit points today and in the tiebreak. As sure as Thiem will always step into the court and looks to control the big points, the German retreats.
This is my shocked face pic.twitter.com/SE3TL5Rbxk
— Asparagus Hardcourterer👨👦👦👨👦 (@samstennis189) January 31, 2020
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 3-2* Alexander Zverev: Thiem responds with a rare love hold on his own, completed with a big unreturned serve out wide. It is fair to say that this dominance on serve is not like the previous sets.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) *2-2 Alexander Zverev: Both men have opened this set serving well and playing at a solid rhythm. This time Zverev eases through a love hold in a flash with some enormous serving and quick 1-2 punches. He closed it off with an unreturned second serve, unthinkable just a couple of weeks ago, to keep himself level.
Updated
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 2-1* Alexander Zverev: Thiem keeps himself ahead with more solid serving. He closed it off in spectacular fashion though, chasing down a very solid crosscourt return and destroying a forehand down the line on-the-run. An easy start to the fourth set for Thiem.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) *1-1 Alexander Zverev: Zverev follows with a businesslike hold of his own to open his account in set four. He took a beautiful backhand drive volley out of the sky at 30-15, burying it for a crosscourt winner. Then he held for 30 with a big serve.
It will be fascinating to see if he feels he was close enough to Thiem to continue being consistent and waiting for errors on the big points, or if he will up his aggression on the big points.
Fourth set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 1-0* Alexander Zverev: A solid hold from Thiem to open up the fourth set, sealed with some big serving and then a serve-forehand 1-2 punch.
No matter how hard it looks like Thiem is hitting the ball on your TV screen, he's hitting it harder when you watch in person
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) January 31, 2020
Third set stats:
That was undoubtedly the best quality set of the match, even if Thiem went off the boil in the middle of the set. Incredibly, Zverev served at 90% first serves with 8 aces, but he only won 65% of points behind it. Zverev struck 15 winners to 9 unforced errors.
Thiem’s stats are far more conventional. He won 83% of first serve points behind a healthy 69% first serve percentage. However, he was completely battered behind his second serve, winning only 4 of 16 points. Thiem hit 20 winners, including winners on all three set points, to just 12 unforced errors.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) Alexander Zverev
Sealed with a brilliant angled crosscourt forehand winner, Dominic Thiem moves up two sets to one and one set away from the final. So far, his aggression and Zverev’s passiveness has proven the difference on the big points.
Updated
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 6-6 (*6-3) Alexander Zverev: Thiem extended his lead with a great serve to move up 5-2, then he drilled a brilliant forehand down the line winner to bring up set point.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 6-6 (*4-2) Alexander Zverev: Thiem leads at the break after electric start. He nailed a beautiful forehand half volley drop shot to immediately snatch the mini-break before slamming down two big serves to lead 3-0. Zverev responded with two unreturned serves of his own for 3-2. At 3-2, the first lengthy rally of the tiebreak, Thiem ground out a backhand error from Zverev to keep himself ahead.
Updated
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 6-6 Alexander Zverev: A tiebreak will decide this important third set as Thiem holds to 30. He changed things up in that game, using his backhand slice well to draw out errors from Zverev. Needless to say, this will be huge.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 *5-6 Alexander Zverev: There is no doubt that Zverev looks the stronger of the two right now. He had no reason to despair after Thiem came up with the goods on the set points and so he didn’t. After a quick love hold with brilliant serving, he moves ahead again.
Thiem was gesturing to his team and seems to be unwell, which doesn’t seem to be great.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 5-5* Alexander Zverev: Quite a magnificent hold from Dominic Thiem, who was really faltering. For much of the game, Thiem’s forehand was off the boil and spraying errors as Zverev generated two set points, each at 40-Ad.
Despite the errors, Thiem truly backed himself with his back to the wall. He saved the first set point with a brutal backhand down the line winner and the second with a brilliant crosscourt forehand winner. With some great serving, he keeps himself alive in set three.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 *4-5 Alexander Zverev: It’s all kicking off! At 30-30, Zverev served what he thought was an ace, only for the linesman to call it out. Out of challenges, Zverev plead with the umpire to make the overrule himself, but the umpire refused to do it so Zverev eventually gave up and sheepishly walked back to the baseline.
At 4-4 30-30 in the third set of the biggest match of his life, after so many issues with his second serve over the past year and a long break between serves, Zverev responded by curling in a sliding 175kmh second serve ace. Then he held with another unreturned serve. Incredible. That may have just been an enormous moment.
Zverev also received a verbal abuse warning for his celebration after the ace at 30-30.
Updated
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 4-4* Alexander Zverev: Thiem recovers with aplomb, tearing through a hold to 15 to move level with Zverev again. He sealed the quick hold by flitting into the net behind a brutal inside out forehand before putting away quite a difficult volley at 30-15, then he slammed down an unreturned serve.
Updated
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 *3-4 Alexander Zverev: No problem for Zverev as he restores his lead with huge serving and a love hold sealed in the blink of an eye. The pressure is quickly back on Thiem’s shoulders as Zverev suddenly looks energised.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 3-3* Alexander Zverev: After quite an abysmal service game from Thiem, Zverev puts the third set back on serve. Thiem sent a routine slice long and then double faulted to fall down 15-40. A big Thiem serve scuppered the first break point, but then Thiem threw in a bad drop shot, which Zverev easily reached before dumping his response into the net. Zverev made no mistake on his third break point, and firing a forehand down the line just good enough to elicit a weak backhand slice error from Thiem. This is such an important part of the match and both players are feeling it.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 *3-2 Alexander Zverev: That was some hold from Sascha Zverev with Thiem bearing down on him, desperate for a second hold. The German soaked up the pressure down break point at Ad-40, waiting out a Thiem forehand error. Then he played the second incredible point of the tournament: After being lobbed at the net, he hit a great backhand overhead before flitting to the other side and pulling off a brilliant forehand passing shot as Thiem followed his lob into the net. Thiem dived to the forehand passing shot and then Zverev swept up the point with a backhand winner.
The German held after a typical act of great sportsmanship from Thiem. After Zverev’s shot was called out on the baseline, Thiem told him to challenge, which determined that the ball was in.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 3-1* Alexander Zverev: The previous comment on Zverev’s form was almost proven wrong immediately as Thiem sprayed a couple of forehand unforced errors and eventually found himself down break point at 40-Ad. No matter. Thiem lasered another down the line on the break point, moving in behind it to dispatch the volley. He ended with two big serves to consolidate the break.
Here is Kevin Mitchell on Jamie Murray reaching another slam semi-final, this time in mixed doubles with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 *2-1 Alexander Zverev: That last service game turned out to be a great reflection of Thiem’s focus after looking so out of funk earlier today. Thiem opened the game by crunching a backhand down the line past Zverev before finishing off with a forehand winner, then he curled a screaming forehand down the line passing shot winner onto the line for 0-30.
He brought up break point by grinding down Zverev in a long 24 stroke rally. Although Zverev saved the first two break points, on the third Zverev played a positive point but his move into the net was blunted by a bad backhand volley, and Thiem easily landed his crosscourt passing shot to take the game.
While Thiem played the game with a formidable blend of patience and aggression, Zverev is far too passive. He is still waiting for errors but they aren’t coming with nearly as much frequency anymore. This is a slam semi-final and he is probably going to need to impose himself more should he wish to win.
Updated
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 1-1* Alexander Zverev: That was very solid work from Thiem, who was faced with a tricky service game after the long break. However, he refused to let the break affect his rhythm, sealing an easy hold to 15 with an unreturned serve followed by a nice serve-forehand 1-2 punch. Nicely done.
After a short break, the players have resumed.
Some stats from the first two sets.
First set:
Zverev: 90% first serves, 67% first serve points won, 50% second serve points won, 6 winners and 6 unforced errors, 48% receiving points won.
Thiem: 59% first serves, 47% first serve points won, 50% second serve points won, 5 winners and 13 unforced errors, 35% receiving points won
Second set:
Zverev: 69% first serves, 72% first serve points won, 25% second serve points won, 8 winners and 8 unforced errors, 34% receiving points won
Thiem: 69% first serves, 75% first serve points won, 44% second serve points won, 9 winners and 5 unforced errors, 35% receiving points won
Well, this is bizarre. Some of the stadium lights have gone out and play has been suspended indefinitely as they try to figure it out.
Third set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 *0-1 Alexander Zverev: A good hold from Zverev, who was pegged back to 30-30 by a searing backhand down the line. The 22 year old calmly responded with two solid serve-forehand 1-2 punches, waltzing to the net behind the second and doing enough with his crosscourt backhand volley to hold.
Updated
Here is that crazy Zverev overhead.
Shot of the WEEK, @AlexZverev?#AO2020 | #AusOpen | @espn | @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/IEKmq0T0CF
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 31, 2020
From Rev earlier on in the set: “Djokovic hung on to the first set despite starting so weakly against a fantastic opponent (Federer). These boys (Thiem, Zverev) drop games like a kid taking marbles out of a pocket..”
Somewhere in Melbourne, Novak Djokovic is kicking his feet up and watching this match unfold. If both men continue to play at this level, he will be a happy man.
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 6-4 Alexander Zverev:
This has not exactly been the most vintage tennis match of all time. There have been countless errors, careless service games and the crowd has struggled to get into it. But finally, this march has come alive. First Zverev came up with an absurd overhead winner off Thiem’s own overhead while standing by the linesmen, then Thiem just slipped the ball past Zverev as the German desperately defended the net from multiple bullet groundstrokes.
After more unforced errors, Thiem found himself down break point at Ad-40. How did he recover? He won a scorching 24 stroke rally that he ended with a violent crosscourt forehand. Then he slipped into the net behind a big inside-in forehand, punching the volley away. On his first set point, Thiem found his third ace of the day to hold firm. We are level.
Updated
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 *5-4 Alexander Zverev: Zverev quickly sees himself through his service game. From 30-30, Zverev found a big serve and forehand combination before ending with an ace out wide. Thiem will now serve for the first set.
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 5-3* Alexander Zverev: Much better serving from Thiem, who breezes through a quick love hold to move to within a game of levelling the match. He sealed the hold with a service winner down the T. Zverev will serve to stay in it.
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 *4-3 Alexander Zverev: It is fair to say that nobody can hold onto their momentum here. Thiem immediately breaks again to edge back into the lead. He came up with a brilliant backhand down the line passing shot to lead 0-30 and then rode his luck with a lucky net cord at 15-30 to bring up two break points. However, there was nothing lucky about the way Thiem swept into the net behind a great inside-out forehand and punched away the forehand volley to break. Can he make it count this time?
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 3-3* Alexander Zverev: Zverev does indeed get back on track, immediately breaking back with high energy and desire. At 15-15, Zverev stated his intention by crushing a stunning forehand crosscourt return winner off Thiem’s first serve. The Austrian responded badly with a routine forehand error.
On the first break point, Thiem attempted a weak dropshot after failing to penetrate the Zverev defenses and the German swept it up, finishing with an overhead winner to hold.
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 *3-2 Alexander Zverev: A much better hold from Zverev. Back on track with some big serving before sealing the game to 15 with a swift foray to the net and a nice backhand volley. He will be feeling much better after that as the pressure returns to the shoulders of Thiem.
Meanwhile.
It’s an all-French boys’ final at the #AusOpen:
— Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) January 31, 2020
1. Harold Mayot 🇫🇷 (def. Legout) vs. 5. Arthur Cazaux 🇫🇷 (def. Ozolins)
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 3-1* Alexander Zverev: Another good hold for Dominic Thiem, who found his first serve and is targeting Zverev’s often frail forehand whenever he can. He closed it off by breaking down Zverev’s forehand with a vicious crosscourt forehand before slamming down a 211kmh ace.
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 *2-1 Alexander Zverev: Well then! This time, Zverev throws in a dire service game of his own. The German opened with two double faults to fall down 0-30 and it seemed to completely unsettle him. With two more unforced errors in the game, he handed over his formidable serve after winning 12 points in a row. Thiem cannot afford to let this chance go.
Updated
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 1-1* Alexander Zverev: Thiem responds with a quick hold of his own, sealed with a crosscourt backhand winner to 15. His flattened backhand has been one of the keys to his success on hard courts over the past year yet it has barely been present so far this year. More needed.
Second set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 *0-1 Alexander Zverev: Zverev opens with more brilliant serving and a swift one minute hold. He has now won 12 successive points on serve.
Thiem has spoken numerous times about this being his first slam semi-final as the elder player. Although he was certainly the favourite in his 2018 Roland Garros semi against Marco Cecchinato, you have to wonder how much he is feeling the pressure early on. It’s one thing hitting out against Novak Djokovic as the underdog, but Thiem is the player with a 6-2 record in this head-to-head and who just took out Rafael Nadal. It’s not easy.
Updated
First set: Dominic Thiem 3-6 Alexander Zverev:
First blood to Alexander Zverev! Zverev had a backhand down-the-line open for 15-40 but just sent it long. Thiem looked to be moving towards a hold at 40-30, only to spray two forehand errors followed by a backhand into the net. From 3-2, that turned out to be a dire set of tennis from Thiem, who ended with his 12th unforced error.
Updated
First set: Dominic Thiem *3-5 Alexander Zverev: No problems at all for Zverev this time. He consolidates the break with a swift love hold, dismounting with an ace after brilliant serving throughout. It’s still early days but he looks a heck of a lot more present and up for this than Thiem.
First set: Dominic Thiem 3-4* Alexander Zverev: Zverev snatches his second break of the day but this one seemed more significant. Simply a dire game from Thiem, whose poor dropshot was easily dispatched by the German at 15-15. Thiem then served a double fault at 15-30 and dismounted with a wide forehand. Zverev is moving well, serving solidly and keeping his forehand in check so far. The Austrian is going to have to do better than that.
First set: Dominic Thiem *3-3 Alexander Zverev: Zverev pieces together his own solid hold here, crushing two unreturned serves in succession to move up 40-15. He dismounted with a great combination, crushing a lovely angled backhand before finishing at the net with a volley winner. Zverev is notorious for his weakness in the forecourt so that will bring plenty of confidence.
First set: Dominic Thiem 3-2* Alexander Zverev: Thiem is getting into a nice service rhythm here. He smashes through his first easy hold with great serving and some forehand one-two punches, the love game sealed with a service winner.
First set: Dominic Thiem *2-2 Alexander Zverev: Zverev was up against it after a backhand error brought him to 15-30. But Thiem helpfully relieved the pressure with a wayward shanked backhand at 15-30 and then another forehand error after a tough 17 stroke rally. After a short break to close the roof, Zverev resumed with an ace down the T to hold.
Updated
It is raining in Melbourne! The Rod Laver Arena roof is closing.
First set: Dominic Thiem 2-1* Alexander Zverev: We have our first hold. A much better service game from Thiem, who slammed down an unreturned first serve followed by a serve-forehand 1-2 punch to edge ahead 30-15. Then he crushed a vicious 148kmh forehand down-the-line winner for 40-15. On the second game point, Zverev dumped a limp backhand drop shot into the net.
In these early stages, it is already clear that Thiem is on the front foot and controlling these rallies. We will see how much Zverev can impose himself as the match progresses.
First set: Dominic Thiem *1-1 Alexander Zverev: Some of these rallies are already long and bruising, with Zverev content to stand behind the baseline and see how many errors he can grind out of Thiem early on. However, the Austrian was much more patient here and he brilliantly worked his way through a long 24 stroke rally, ending with a forehand forced error from Zverev. On his second break point, Thiem chased down a Zverev volley and forced an error from the German at the net. That break did not last very long.
First set: Dominic Thiem 0-1* Alexander Zverev: The youngster immediately takes the first step, breaking Thiem’s serve in his opening service game. In truth, just a messy game from Thiem as he opened with three straight unforced errors to fall down 0-40. He rescued the first break point with a solid serve and then Zverev dumped a forehand into the net on the second. However, on the third break point, Zverev remained consistent until the Austrian sprayed a backhand error wide. First blood to Zverev.
Here we go. The players are on-court and ready to begin. Dominic Thiem to serve first.
Alexander Zverev on the spotlight and criticism that has already accompanied his young career:
I don’t think about it. But what I am happy about is that everybody all of asudden at the ATP Cup or last year had opinions that I need a new coach or I need a change in my team or I need to get a new physical trainer, new physio, whatever. I was struggling with myself. My tennis was struggling because of me, not because of the work that everybody else was doing. I am happy to show that I can still play good tennis with the team around me, with my father around, with Jez around, with Hugo around.
I have to prove a point to somebody? Do you have to prove a point to anybody in this world? Maybe to your parents, out of respect or something like that. But anybody else, this is your life. You do with it what you feel is right.
All I’m going to say, I’m always going to try my best. I am always going to do everything I can to win tennis matches, to at least do the best thing I can on the tennis court when I’m playing in front of people, just to have respect in front of the crowd. Everything else is my decision, it’s my parents’ decision, the people that are involved. Nobody else’s opinion really matters that much.
Here is Dominic Thiem on his good friend Sascha Zverev after his great win over Rafael Nadal:
We know each other. For me, it’s funny because it’s first time in a Grand Slam semifinals I face a younger guy. We’re good friends. I’m happy for him, as well, that he’s playing so good here. He made his breakthrough at a Grand Slam. We have no secrets from each other. I mean, we played so many times, also on very special occasions already, at the ATP Finals, semis, French Open quarters. It’s a nice rivalry we have. It’s great that we add an Australian Open semifinals to this one. Going to be a close match again. Same if two top-10 players play each other semis of a slam. The deciding moments are very small, small margins. I’m looking forward to it. I try to regenerate as good as possible and then try to be ready 100% for Friday
Dominic Thiem started his Australian Open with some of the most bizarre tournament news in recent years. After his third round match, just two weeks into their partnership, Thiem decided to fire his new secondary coach Thomas Muster. Muster also happens to be the tennis legend in Austria, a former French Open champion and the greatest Austrian player of the Open Era. He was not happy.
Clearly, bad decisions were made in the first place if such drastic actions were necessary so soon into their partnership. However, it reflects Thiem’s off-court transformation as he has grown into a man and taken control over his career. After being coached by Günter Bresnik from the age of nine, last year Thiem completely severed ties with Bresnik and hired Nicolas Massu as coach.
It has proven to be the best decision of Thiem’s career. Massu has encouraged him to rediscover the variety in his game, to flatten out his backhand far more on faster surfaces and to dominate opponents from closer to the baseline, and he is now in the form of his life. Last season saw another French Open final after another victory against Novak Djokovic in a slam, a surprise first Masters 1000 title on the hard courts of Indian Wells and then his year ended with an even greater surprise as he finished the year by defeating Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Zverev on fast hard courts en-route to the final of the ATP Finals in London.
Unlike 22 year-old Zverev, Thiem has entered his prime years at 26 years old and he finally seems ready to tackle every player in the world beyond the comfort of clay courts.
Alexander Zverev rarely goes a day without reminding people that he was the first to break through and everyone else followed, and for good reason. Three years ago, while the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and Matteo Berrettini were either barely inside the top 100, if at all, Zverev made his first breakthrough by defeating Novak Djokovic at the Italian Open in Rome to win his first ever Masters 1000 title at the precocious age of 20. Zverev had grown up tipped for greatness for a long time - he would follow his brother Mischa Zverev, who peaked at No. 25 and is 9 years his senior, around the tour and share the court with many of the best players in the world as a child.
However, Zverev’s rapid progress up the rankings finally hit a speed bump last year as he struggled with off-court issues stemming from a legal dispute with his agent and other personal issues. All the while, he struggled to translate success at the ATP events constantly failed to translate to the slams as he only reached his first slam quarter final in 2018.
Despite a strong end to 2019 that concluded with him qualifying for the ATP finals, it really seemed that Zverev wasn’t out of the woods this year as he started at the ATP Cup with three rancid losses, barely able to land second serves in the court. At one point, as he bunted double faults in every direction and struggled to retain control of his temper, he sprayed a stream of abuse towards his father in the stands, who seemed to be in tears. It seemed like a desperate new low and an ominous start to the year. Evidently not. Look at him now.
Preamble
Hello! Welcome to our coverage of the second Australian Open men’s semi-final as we barrel towards the end of another hectic tournament.
After a packed day of two women’s and one men’s semi-final, today brings just one men’s singles semifinal in the night. It is strange scheduling to say the least, but perhaps it is apt that this one will take centre stage as Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev face off for a place in the Australian Open final.
For the past few years the coming of the Next Gen has been discussed at every opportunity. The players have been marketed endlessly by the ATP, a tournament now exists in Milan solely to showcase the under 21 and the constant promotion of these players have rubbed older tennis players the wrong way. The enduring question has always been about what follows on from the dominance of the ATP’s famed big three and how much the departure of those stars will affect the sport.
From Thiem reaching two French Open finals to the emergence of Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and others, younger players have made clear progress in recent years. Today, however, marks the first time two younger players will face each other in a slam semi-final with everything on the line. As Thiem said after his rapturous upset of Rafael Nadal, this is the first time he has ever faced a younger player in a slam semi-final. Meanwhile, this is Zverev’s first ever semi-final. What an opportunity for both.
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