Any time Dominic Thiem steps on courtroom on the Erste Financial institution Open, the house crowd raises the amount contained in the Wiener Stadthalle. That raucous ambiance might hit new highs on Tuesday in Vienna, nonetheless, when the Austrian favorite takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas in a blockbuster first-round conflict on the ATP 500.
“There are some sports activities the place you play house video games each second week and everyone’s telling you concerning the benefits, about how a lot better you play at house,” Thiem informed ATPTour.com on Sunday in Vienna. “And it’s like that, however as a tennis participant, as an Austrian particularly, you solely have it two or thrice a yr. I all the time find it irresistible. The group offers me unbelievable vitality.”
A conflict between two former World No. 3s could be a much-anticipated opening spherical regardless of when or the place it takes place. The 2 Lexus ATP Head2Head conferences between Thiem and Tsitsipas which have taken place this yr add an additional dimension to their Vienna conflict.
Thiem-Tsitsipas, Sinner-Shelton Amongst First-Spherical Blockbusters In Vienna
The 17-time tour-level champion Thiem, working exhausting to rediscover his mojo towards the world’s greatest after a severe wrist harm he suffered in mid-2021, pushed Tsitsipas to deciding-set tie-breaks in Madrid and at Wimbledon this yr. On every event it was the Greek who finally prevailed, and Thiem is aware of the margins might properly be advantageous as soon as once more on Tuesday night in Vienna.
“I assume the one factor which I am eager about is that after we’re each enjoying properly, the probabilities are excessive that now we have one other very shut and tight match,” stated Thiem, who’s 5-5 general in his rivalry with Tsitsipas. “I hope so as a result of that may imply that we’re enjoying properly or that I am enjoying properly. It will imply an awesome match for the group as properly.
“We had two matches this yr, and twice it ended up being a deciding tie-break, in addition to on the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals, which was on an analogous floor as properly, and indoors. Once more, it was a deciding tie-break. It will be nice, clearly, if it might be one other match like this, however with a distinct end result.”
In contrast to in Madrid and at Wimbledon, nonetheless, Thiem might have a secret weapon to assist him recover from the road on Tuesday towards Tsitsipas. He doesn’t need to look again far to recollect the ability of the Vienna crowd, which roared him to a exceptional first-round triumph after he saved two match factors towards Tommy Paul a yr in the past. Having missed the 2021 version of the event as a part of his nine-month absence due his wrist harm, that second nonetheless stands out for the Austrian.
“That was a reminder of what I am enjoying for and what I am working exhausting for,” stated Thiem. “Not solely [during my] comeback, but when I look again at particular matches in my complete profession, this one is up there, 100 per cent.
“Truthfully, I used to be the more serious participant the entire match, however with this superb assist from the group and with nice luck and nice preventing spirit, I used to be in some way capable of win it and that was particular. That is why it’s going to all the time be up there someplace after I look again on particular matches.”
This yr, Thiem arrived in Vienna with a 17-21 tour-level report for the season, a tally which features a championship-match run on the solely different Austrian ATP Tour occasion in Kitzbühel, and three different ATP 250 quarter-final appearances. At the moment at No. 99 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Thiem’s comparatively average yr has not dampened his want to push for a return to the higher echelons of the sport. For him, it isn’t a query of regaining his earlier stage, however having the ability to produce it typically sufficient.
“I had some constructive weeks, like Kitzbühel, and a few nice matches as properly, for instance towards Stef at Wimbledon or the US Open, the place I performed properly,” recalled Thiem. “So there have been some good weeks and a few good matches, however I used to be not capable of do it typically sufficient and that is why my rating is the place it’s. It is not satisfying for me, and I’ve to play properly, extra persistently, to stand up once more. That is the purpose for the final three weeks and clearly additionally for the subsequent yr.
“For me it’s fairly clear [I’m lacking] consistency, as a result of I had some good weeks. If I might have been capable of repeat them extra typically, then my rating could be means increased, however I used to be not. I assume that is that is the important thing level. That is what I used to be capable of do earlier than the harm, after I was very excessive within the rankings, and that is the purpose, to get that again.”