ATP Masters Madrid: Dominic Thiem - "Now it's time to work on my reputation again"
Dominic Thiem made a convincing start at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid. The Lower Austrian was consistently satisfied after his two-set win over Kyle Edmund .
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit:
Apr 27, 2023, 07:54 pm
"I really have the feeling that I'm getting stronger and getting in better shape," said Thiem during the on-court interview after the convincing performance against Briton Kyle Edmund. A game in which the break to 5: 4 in particular should be considered a can opener for Thiem, after which the Austrian played more and more relaxed. "It wasn't easy at the beginning. Before that I mostly trained on the outdoor courts and the center court was still a bit unfamiliar," said Thiem.
In addition, his opponent, Kyle Edmund, who has recently been plagued by injury worries, made it anything but easy for him: "I've known Kyle since the juniors, so I know that he's a tough opponent and I had a lot of respect for him "Said Thiem, who a few years ago in an ATP video chose the Briton as the active player with the best forehand for him. However, Thiem was able to defuse this forehand in Madrid as the match progressed.
Thiem before location determination against Tsitsipas
This was also due to the fact that Thiem "had a bit of the handbrake in there" at the start of this match. This got better and better as the match progressed. The good feelings from the first round and the positive memories of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid - for Thiem "probably the 1000 tournament where I was able to celebrate the most victories" - should now see the Austrian in a hammer duel with Stefanos Encourage Tsitsipas to further improve performance: "I'll see where I stand there. I'm a big admirer of Tsitsipas. The next round will be a big challenge. I like watching him. He's a very elegant player. We already have each other delivered some great duels."
The encounter with Tsitsipas could also be a match in which Thiem could work on his status and reputation again. This is an aspect that will be relevant for the 29-year-old in the coming weeks: "Now I have to work on my reputation again," said Thiem. "I used to be considered a very difficult guy to beat on clay. That's not the case now, but I really feel like I'm getting better and better." The meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas, it is a good location determination.