Dominic Thiem has advanced to the Australian Open final for the first time after claiming a four-set victory over German Alexander Zverev at Rod Laver Arena on Friday night.
The fifth seed from Austria had to come from a set down to overcome 22-year-old Zverev 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(4) in an incredibly tight encounter.
Both players failed to hold serve to begin the match, but it was Thiem who was able to hold, taking a 2-1 lead. After a short rain delay, the Rod Laver Arena roof was closed; Zverev came out swinging, breaking Thiem twice more to claim the opening set.
“I had some troubles in the first set, I think we both were nervous, we started with two breaks, both our first semi-finals here, that was not easy, it was a tough start for me.” Thiem explained.
But the Austrian was able to stay composed and take his opportunities, converting two of his three break point opportunities to claim a crucial set and level the match.
“I think (the) level of both guys is so high that there are so many details and many key moments in every match and definitely this game at 5-4 in the second set was a big one today because I had to save three or four break points, he hitting unbelievable shots, maybe the shot of the tournament with the smash from the wall,” Thiem said.
After levelling the match, it was Thiem who put his foot forward first in the third set, breaking Zverev early and consolidating to lead 3-1. Thiem even had a break point to go a double break up, but was unable to convert it, Zverev eventually holding for 2-3 and breaking straight back to level the set at 3-3.
Serving at 90%, it was Zverev who looked like he was going to take the two sets to one advantage, having two set points at 5-4 up, but Thiem saved them, forcing a tiebreaker, and claiming it 7-3, hitting three winners in the breaker to claim a two sets to one advantage.
“I threw almost everything in in this game at 3-1, I was even dining on hard court, which I’m not usually doing because it’s pretty painful. He broke back straight away. Two set points down I think which I saved, this was a second big key moment. Then I was in a breaker and was able to win it and of course it’s way nicer to be two one sets up then down,” Thiem said.
There was concern surrounding Thiem’s condition heading into the fourth set, with the Austrian looking uncomfortable at times after claiming the third.
“I was feeling nerves, I think I was putting so much energy so much effort in, so my stomach was not ready for that, I think it was rebelling a bit,” said the Austrian further.
There were no break point opportunities for either player in the fourth set, both holding their own to force another tiebreaker, which would be do or die for Zverev.
It was Thiem who came out firing, earning a double mini-break to lead 3-0, but the Austrian handed them straight back to Zverev with two nervous unforced errors. Thiem worked hard to regain his composure, eventually closing out the tiebreaker 7-4 and the match in doing so.
This was the fifth straight tiebreaker Thiem had won in the tournament; “I had a great start in all of these tiebreaks. I think I was almost all the time two zero, three zero up and that gives you so much confidence for the rest of it,” Thiem added.
The win for Thiem sets up a clash with defending champion Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final, a match the fifth seed will go into with some confidence having won four of his last five meetings with the Serbian. The most recent of the five, played two months ago at the World Tour Finals, the only one contested on hard court was won by Thiem.
This is the Austrian’s best run at Melbourne Park, having never made it past the round of 16 in his previous seven appearances here.