Australian Open: Dominic Thiem after brilliant performance against Monfils in the quarterfinals
Dominic Thiem is in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time. The Austrian prevailed in the round of the best 32 with 6: 2, 6: 4 and 6: 4 against the French Gael Monfils(the match can be found in our live ticker) . On Wednesday Dominic Thiem will either meet number one in the world, Rafael Nadal , or the Australian show man, Nick Kyrgios .
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Jan 27, 2020, 05:12 am
Dominic Thiem has been on everyone's lips for the past two days. It wasn't the strong performance against Taylor Fritz that made waves, but what Dominic Thiem announced immediately afterwards. After only three weeks, Austria's number one ended working with Thomas Muster - and left the big question of why unanswered.
It almost went under that the 26-year-old made it into the round of 16 of the Australian Open for the third time. In Gael Monfils, there was now an opponent who could hardly be better off Dominic Thiem: The Austrian won all five previous duels, in the last three Monfils did not even win a set. When he made his first appearance at the Rod Laver Arena, Dominic Thiem was the big favorite to reach the quarter-finals - it would be his first at the Grand Slam Down Under.
Good start from Dominic Thiem
The Austrian started this game much more actively, employed Monfils with long backhand rallies and found a breakball in the first game. Monfils was able to fend off this, but was under pressure again in his next service game. This time with the better end for the Austrian, who made the first break of the game 2-1. With his own serve, the 26-year-old acted extremely confidently in succession, giving only four points in set one. Thanks to another break, Dominic Thiem won the first round after 6 minutes with 6: 2.
Unimpressed by the strong performance in Dominic Thiem's first movement, Gael Monfils started the second run. The Frenchman risked more, especially the forehand was much more powerful. So Monfils managed to make sentence two much more open. Nevertheless, it was Dominic Thiem again who found the first break chances of this sentence. In the seventh game Monfils was able to fend off three breakballs, but in the fourth the Frenchman laid a volley and gave Thiem the advantage in set two. That was the preliminary decision in the second round, because the Austrian did not show any nakedness on his own serve and was able to serve safely for 6: 4.
A brilliant performance by Dominic Thiem
That also left its mark on his opponent. In the first game of the third round, the Frenchman scattered enormously and Thiem was able to quickly break front. Gael Monfils should not recover from this, Dominic Thiem acted so confidently in this game on his own serve. Dominic Thiem also served the third round with 6: 4 and swept Gael Monfils off the pitch after 6 hours 6: 2 6: 4 and 6: 4.
Dominic Thiem presented himself in impressive form in this round of 16. The Austrian did not burn anything at all on his own serve, dropping just twelve points in the three sets. The Lichtenwörther also knew how to dominate from the baseline. After the exhausting last appearances against Alex Bolt and Taylor Fritz, Dominic Thiem stayed less than two hours in this game.
Dominic Thiem is now in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time. This will probably take place on Wednesday and will be a hit game anyway. Because the Austrian is now waiting for the winner of the game of world number one, Rafael Nadal, against local hero Nick Kyrgios. If Thiem presents himself as strongly as in this round of 16, the Austrian doesn't have to hide.
You can read the entire game in our live ticker.
laverarena