Dominic Thiem is already for Rafa Nadal an adversary as dangerous and complicated as Djokovic and Federer. On the second day of the London 2020 Group of the ATP Finals, the Austrian was the best in a great game of both, with 62 winners and only 38 unforced errors between the two, which was decided in separate tie-breaks (7-6 (7) and 7-6 (4) in 2h: 25), a luck in which the number three in the world has taken the measure of the Spanish in the last time. In the quarterfinals of the Australian Open he won three and this Tuesday success was repeated another couple of times. Something very difficult to do against one of the best players of all time. “It is probably my best three-set match together with last year here against Djokovic,” said proudly the winner, who has two wins in a row against the Spanish titan. and will be in the semifinals if Tsitsipas beats Rublev tonight. Nadal's pass is complicated and it is almost convenient for him to win the Greek to play it directly against him on Thursday. The bad thing is that this way he could not be first of the group and Djokovic would wait for him, possibly. The other option goes through a hypothetical triple tie with Rublev and Thiem in which accounts would have to be made. His feelings, despite the defeat, are good.
The first set was for framing. It lasted 1h: 12, almost as long as the entire Spanish game last Sunday against Rublev. Wonderful tennis was seen, played at a very high level by both of them and decided by small details in a tiebreaker that was reached with no break options for either. Nadal was positioned to subtract not too close to the line, but took a step forward when Thiem executed his serves and was wearing his standard game at full capacity. He could not do more damage despite dominating for much of the sleeve (20 rises to the net) due to the meritorious response of his opponent, who missed little and delivered winning blows without ceasing (up to 21 in that initial set). The beautiful battle ended in the eighth tie-break they played in their private duels and it would not be fair to say that Rafa lost it, although he had two serves to win with 5-2 and two set points, one on service and the other on rest (6-5 and 7-6). The credit went to Thiem, who seized on his chances, risked with incredible shots to the lines and did not forgive the first time he had.
Many players would have become depressed after wasting those advantages, but Nadal, who had added only seven errors so far, these luxuries are not allowed and in the first game of the second set he had the first break ball of the match. Too bad for him Thiem lifted it with cannon fire. The duel followed its logical order due to that evident equality that caused a tremendous tension evident in the nervous movements of the coaches, Moyá and Massú, in the stands. No blank games had been seen until 2-2 for Manacor and 3-2 for Austrian. A short respite. Nadal took advantage of that slowdown, who began to take long exchanges more frequently, because most of the shorts were for his rival. And so the break of the world number two (4-3) finally came, who celebrated it as if he had won the set. And it wasn't like that, far from it. Thiem, spectacular, reacted immediately to match with desperate resistance. Nadal tried to speed up the game, although he played too much in some shipments and in front he found a fierce enemy that surpassed him and had three match points with 5-4 to the rest. There reappeared that stellar Nadal capable of raising a 0-40, after committing three bulky errors, with one last both shocking: Willy's balloon included. Thus he earned the opportunity for another tiebreaker, but he lost it again, and they have already gone five in a row against his new black beast.
Schedule and results of the ATP Finals.
Rafael Nadal
vs
Dominic Thiem
Sets: