US Open: Dominic Thiem beats Alexander Zverev after 0: 2 set deficit and wins first Grand Slam tournament!
The winner of the men's competition at the US Open 2020 is Dominic Thiem ! The Austrian prevailed in a highly dramatic final against Alexander Zverev with 2: 6, 4: 6, 6: 4, 6: 3 and 7: 6 (6). ( You can read the ticker for the final here. )
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Sep 14, 2020, 02:27 am
The men's final of the US Open 2020 was about nothing less than the first Grand Slam title of their careers for both Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev . While it was already the fourth major final for Thiem, Zverev made his debut in a final at this tournament level.
The German was not nervous at all in his first service game, the 23-year-old set the first scent mark in this final with three aces. Thiem, on the other hand, was visibly more tense than his opponent, exerted hardly any pressure in the opening minutes and consequently had to give up his serve to 1: 2 from his point of view.
Zverev plays an almost perfect sentence
Above all, the service did not come as desired at Thiem, in the first three service games the world number three placed only 37 percent of his first serves in the field - but the 27-year-old was able to shorten it to 2: 3 after 0:30 behind. Two games later, however, Zverev managed the second break of the first round and then served safely to win the set 6-2.
The native of Hamburg played by far the best tennis of the tournament: he hit 16 winners with only six unforced errors, won 92 percent of the points after the first serve and was successful on the net with seven out of eight attacks. Thiem, on the other hand, served well below his normal level towards the end of the sentence and also didn't get through with his basic strokes at all.
Zverev wobbles but does not fall
The same picture emerged initially in the second section. Zverev remained the better player and, after the Austrian defused a breakball in the first game, took Thiem's serve to make it 2-1. In the following game, the Lichtenwörther forced his opponent for the first time, but also lost this game and then gave up his service again to 1: 4.
Thiem showed his worst game to date at this year's US Open, but fended off three break opportunities at 1: 5 and his own serve and then took the serve from Zverev - the world number seven had previously misplaced a more than simple volley on his fourth set ball. Thiem then shortened to 4: 5, but on the second attempt Zverev brought the set to dry cloths despite small problems. After around 80 minutes, the 23-year-old was leading 6: 2 and 6: 4.
Despite the small increase towards the end of the second set, Thiem still didn't seem to have reached the Arthur Ashe Stadium one hundred percent. This impression was underpinned by a miserable service game at the score of 1: 1 - Zverev broke and was now very close to his first Grand Slam triumph. But in view of this, the nerves of the world number seven began to flutter, Thiem struck back and equalized to 2: 2.
Thiem breaks out to win the set
It felt like the Lichtenwörther was closer to a break afterwards, but Zverev repeatedly freed himself from dicey situations and had two half-chances himself at 4: 4. Both at 30:30 and at the debut, the three-time ATP Masters 1000 winner acted a little too passively - Thiem put it 5: 4. Then the Austrian got ready to send the match into overtime - and managed to do so with the help of Zverev. Round number three went 6: 4 to the favorites.
Thiem was now more and more successful with his topspin forehand and also used the backhand slice more and more skillfully. The Austrian also had upper water at the beginning of the fourth section and found two break opportunities at 3: 2 - the 27-year-old, who returned extremely far behind the baseline for the entire duration of the match, acted too passively. So Zverev was able to set 3: 3.
The fifth sentence is decisive
But Thiem stayed on the trigger, secured the break two games later and served zero to equalize the set. In the entire fourth section, the world number three made only two slight mistakes, in addition, he won all twelve points after a second serve.
Zverev, who had been on the court almost four hours longer than his counterpart in the course of the tournament up to the final, no longer seemed too lively and played his first service game. But the German unpacked his fighter heart, managed - also thanks to a double mistake - the immediate rebreak and then went 2-1 in the front.
There was also the next dangerous situation when the Lower Austrian served. Zverev worked out a 0:30 at 3: 2, but Thiem won the next four points and equalized again. But two games later, the 23-year-old tried to break through his opponent's serve - and this time he succeeded: Zverev served to win the tournament after 3:30 hours.
Thiem served to win the tournament, Zverev breakt
But Thiem did not give up and developed two break opportunities. The first was fended off by the Hamburger with good service, but the second a volley landed in the net - the Lower Austrian was back in the game! In the following game, Zverev got a 15:30, but with three outstanding points en suite, Thiem put it 5: 5.
Zverev was now visibly touched and had to give up his serve again - now Thiem served to win the match. The Austrian, who had to be treated on the thigh when changing sides, was just as unable to cope with the pressure as Zverev before. The German broke and sent the game into an all-important tie-break.
Zverev fends off two match balls, Thiem makes the third
Zverev quickly took the lead 2-0, Thiem struck - visibly handicapped - back and equaled to 2-2. Two more points later it was 3: 3. The German showed his nerve and served Thiem a double fault when the score was 4: 3. The Lower Austrian then worked out two match balls.
With both, however, Thiem missed a more than feasible forehand - at 6: 6 the sides had to be switched again. The Austrian got another match ball with a forehand ball - and it fit. Thiem won after 4:01 hours with 2: 6, 4: 6, 6: 4, 6: 3 and 7: 6 (6)
Thiem is the first player to catch up a 2-0 set back in a US Open final. In addition, according to Thomas Muster, the 27-year-old was crowned the second Austrian single Grand Slam winner in history.