Match Characteristic
Vienna victory!: A flashback to Thiem’s 2019 ‘dream week’ at dwelling
The Austrian received 5 titles in 2019
October 22, 2024
Hans Punz/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Dominic Thiem lifts the Vienna ATP 500 trophy in 2019.
By Grant Thompson
Nostalgic emotions typically come up from recollections of dwelling, drawing us again to cherished moments — some that really feel like yesterday and others that appear like a lifetime in the past. For Dominic Thiem, such fond recollections in his dwelling nation Austria are woven all through his standout 13-year profession.
The 31-year-old will bid farewell to skilled tennis this week on the Erste Financial institution Open in Vienna, the place he received his first tour-level match as a young person and later lifted the trophy in entrance of his dwelling followers in 2019. It has been a key event full of unforgettable moments for Thiem.
Previous to Thiem’s title run, he had not surpassed the quarter-finals on the ATP 500, however he arrived in Vienna in 2019 having already received 4 ATP Tour crowns for the 12 months together with his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown in Indian Wells. If his wonderful kind had created any further stress to carry out in entrance of his dwelling followers, the highest seed dealt with it flawlessly.
Thiem eased previous Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in his opening match after which recovered after dropping the opening set to Fernando Verdasco within the second spherical, earlier than Pablo Carreno Busta retired when 0-5 down to provide the Austrian a semi-final spot. From there Thiem fought off two Prime 15 stars within the semi-finals and last, rallying from a set down in each matches to finally be topped champion.
He overcame Matteo Berrettini 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 within the final 4, avenging his Shanghai loss to the Italian from simply two weeks earlier.
“The match was on a really excessive degree from the primary to the final level,” Thiem mentioned. “With all of the help and residential benefit, I used to be capable of pull by means of.”
Then, a nervous night time of sleep. One match would decide if Thiem would declare the largest tennis event on Austrian soil. He shook off a sluggish begin to earn a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory in opposition to Diego Schwartzman, with whom he had teamed earlier that 12 months to succeed in the Madrid and Buenos Aires doubles finals.
On championship level, the thrill all through the stadium may very well be heard mid-rally. Thiem struck a fierce forehand that put Schwartzman on defence and the group already started to have a good time the all-but-guaranteed victory.
When Thiem hammered a forehand winner to shut the match, he fell on his again in aid, whereas his adoring followers rose to their ft in unison.
Dominic Thiem celebrates his 2019 Vienna triumph.” type=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/pictures/information/2024/09/27/19/50/thiem-vienna-2019-celebration.jpg”>
Thiem celebrates his 2019 Vienna triumph. Photograph Credit score: Hans Punz/APA/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
“I wished to play my greatest tennis for this superb crowd,” mentioned Thiem, the third Austrian to win Vienna (Horst Skoff in 1988, Jurgen Melzer in 2009-10). “It is unreal to me. 3 times this week I got here again from a set down… It has been a dream week.”
The Austrian recorded 5 tour-level titles in 2019 alone, together with two at dwelling (he additionally triumphed in Kitzbühel). Thiem, whose Indian Wells triumph that 12 months would show to be his lone Masters 1000 crown, and Novak Djokovic had been the one gamers to win 5 trophies that season.
Triumphing in Vienna was a full-circle second for Thiem. As an 18-year-old in 2011 then-ranked World No. 1,890 within the PIF ATP Rankings, he earned his maiden tour-level win in Vienna in opposition to countryman Thomas Muster, the one Austrian to succeed in World No. 1. It was the genesis of a distinguished profession for Thiem, who has claimed 17 tour-level trophies, together with the 2020 US Open.
Extremely considered having top-of-the-line one-handed backhands within the historical past of the game, the five-time Nitto ATP Finals qualifier Thiem has amassed greater than 300 tour-level match wins. Celebrating the five-year anniversary of his Vienna victory this week, Thiem received’t quickly overlook that profession spotlight as he heads into retirement.