French Open: Dominic Thiem gets rhythm again
Dominic Thiem knows his third-round opponent at the French Open 2019 well: The Austrian has already played five times against Pablo Cuevas, including in Roland Garros.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
May 31, 2019, 07:33 pm
By Jens Huiber from Paris
Pablo Cuevas made one on John McEnroe on Thursday. The American legend has always preferred double playing to training, which was particularly pleasing to Peter Fleming, who has become a bit famous and relatively rich on the side of McEnroe. Cuevas has already earned significantly more than 2.50 euros in his career, the 33-year-old also liked to take the double with Feliciano Lopez for reasons of sympathy. What is there not to like about Feli?
Dominic Thiem, on the other hand, is currently double cheering for Chelsea goals. The Lower Austrian did the last pair run on a professional tennis court in Rome, alongside Jürgen Melzer in Rome. Back then, Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo had a lot going on in the first set, but that Thursday even Eden Hazard would have taken a penalty.
Thiem 2015 with many opportunities
So Thiem went back to the training center Jean Bouin, had rented a place at 2 p.m., succeeded Karen Khachanov. The fire that Thiem had sorely missed in his match against Alexander Bublik (on both sides of the net) must come from the inside, but the circumstances will also change for Saturday. For the better. The first harbingers were already noticeable on Thiem's day off.
Anyone who remembers 2015 when Thiem was defeated in four sets against Cuevas on Court 3, not only calls for a heat battle, but also a nervous battle. Thiem had countless chances as a backlash, Cuevas served on the Austrian's backhand from time to time. With a lot of kick and good luck. Four years later, Dominic Thiem is a better player and Pablo Cuevas is still a great burrower. Just one who is solid in his fourth decade. And who wasn't too bad in the spring to compete in a Challenger (and to win it in Aix-en-Provence right away). Overall, Thiem leads the record with 3-2 wins.
Massu in the team since Buenos Aires
Thiem has already beaten Cuevas this year, in three sets in Buenos Aires. Nicolas Massu had just recently joined the team, selected by Günter Bresnik, who also started in Argentina. As is known, this constellation has changed fundamentally; on Friday Thiem practiced only under the instructions of Massu. Adidas coach Mats Merkel, who helps in Team Thiem as he did in Barcelona, had gone home to Stuttgart for a day, because of a big birthday for his mother.
# BETATHOMEFO #
When it comes to tactics, Pablo Cuevas will not deliver any surprises, he will give to his coach Alberto Mancini, one of the great esthetes in the history of men's tennis. The same of course currently applies to Dominic Thiem, who can look forward to a rhythmic tennis match again after his borderline experience against Alexander Bublik.
However, Pablo Cuevas was not able to complete the McEnroe on Thursday: he lost in three sets with Lopez against Joran Vlieg and Mikhail Kukushkin. That would not have happened to the great master from New York City.
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