ATP Buenos Aires: Dominic Thiem is subject to Diego Schwartzman despite the match ball
Dominic Thiem missed the final at the ATP Tour 250 tournament in Buenos Aires. The Austrian lost to local hero Diego Schwartzman despite a match ball with 6: 2, 4: 6 and 6: 7 (5).
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Feb 16, 2019, 10:42 pm
Thiem started the fifth match against his buddy extremely concentrated, dominating the Argentine from the baseline. Up to 5: 1, the Austrian game worked almost flawlessly, then Schwartzman made the first break. Not enough for a comeback in the first round - but a sign that the local hero would not be so easily beaten here.
In fact, Schwartzman put in the second act with a break to 2-1, Thiem countered immediately. And looked like the winner after the recent break at 4-2. The next four games went to the local favorites, and with it the second set.
In the decision Thiem won 4: 1, Schwartzman gave the comeback to 3: 4. And also lost his service to 4: 5. The Lower Austrian didn't want his eleven-match winning streak in Buenos Aires to be buried so easily: Rebreak to 5: 5. In the twelfth game, the defending champion developed a match point, but Schwartzman didn't give Thiem a chance in the rally. There was exactly one mini-break in the tie-break - from Thiem's perspective at the worst time. Namely at match ball for the Argentine, who sank on the sand with joy after his opponent's mistake.
Marco Cecchinato is waiting in the final on Sunday. The Italian had no problems with Guido Pella in the first semifinals and prevailed in two sets.