ATP Australian Open: Dominic Thiem overpowers Rafael Nadal in the first set marathon

Dominic Thiem has won the opening set against Rafael Nadal in the quarter-final of the Australian Open, fending off a set point and prevailing 7-6 after 68 minutes. The Austrian was the more aggressive player, hitting more winners and errors and delivering the best tennis in the right moments to overpower world no. 1, saving that set point on the return in the ninth game and clinching seven out of last eight points in the tie break to forge an early advantage. Nadal kicked off the action with a forehand down the line winner, holding with a service winner to get his name on the scoreboard. The Austrian fired an unreturned serve in the second game for a hold at love before the Spaniard moved 2-1 in front with another comfortable service game. Finding the range early on, Dominic produced a hold at love to level the score at 2-2, doing everything right so far and creating a break chance in the fifth game following a loose forehand from Rafa.

World no. 1 saved it with a powerful serve and brought the game home after a backhand mistake from Thiem to move 3-2 in front. Cracking deep and powerful groundstrokes from both wings, the Austrian closed the sixth game with two forehand winners, opening the court nicely and locking up the result at 3-3 without any troubles. Blasting fury from the initial shot, Nadal held at love to move 4-3 up following a smash winner, having to keep a high level if he wanted to stay in touch with a strong opponent who was yet to make a mistake in his games. That all changed in the eighth game when Rafa created three break chances with a backhand down the line winner, seizing the first with a perfect lob winner that sent him 5-3 in front. Serving for the set, 2009 champion wasted a game point faced a challenge after a beautiful backhand winner from Thiem, fending it off with a forehand winner and having to play against another one following a volley winner from the Austrian at the net.

Nadal denied that one with an unreturned serve as well before another weak forehand that offered a break chance to the younger player. Dominic converted this one with a return winner, pulling the break back and reducing the deficit to 4-5. Rafa stayed in the tenth game with a forehand crosscourt winner that caught Thiem on a wrong foot before the Austrian held with two winners to prolong the set and gather momentum. Staying focused, Nadal held at 15 with a service winner to gain another lead and Thiem repeated that in his game to set up a tie break in just under an hour. Rafa opened it with two winners and Dominic grabbed two of his own to stay in touch, taking the next two as well to open a 4-2 gap. A return winner pushed the Austrian 6-3 up, closing the set with a forehand down the line winner, taking seven of the last eight points to grab the opener in 68 minutes.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/38Ninjp