An all-time classic at the ATP Finals saw Dominic Thiem beat Rafael Nadal in straight sets to close in on a place in the semi-finals. (More Tennis News)
The Austrian needed three tie-breaks to take a four-set victory over Nadal at the Australian Open in January and Tuesday's clash in London was similarly played on a knife-edge.바카라 웹사이트
In the end, Thiem made it three wins in his previous four meetings with the French Open champion, prevailing바카라 웹사이트7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-4) after nearly two and a half hours of the highest quality바카라 웹사이트tennis바카라 웹사이트at the O2 Arena.바카라 웹사이트
Nadal enjoyed a one-sided victory over Andrey바카라 웹사이트Rublev바카라 웹사이트in his first match in the group,바카라 웹사이트but this was more in keeping with the three-set battle Thiem바카라 웹사이트had with바카라 웹사이트Stefanos바카라 웹사이트Tsitsipas.바카라 웹사이트
The level of serving –바카라 웹사이트only 15 points were dropped behind a first serve during the opening 12 games –바카라 웹사이트and the supremacy of the groundstrokes meant there were no break points prior to바카라 웹사이트the first tie-break, Thiem clinching it with an inside-out forehand winner after roaring back from 2-5 down.바카라 웹사이트
There was no let-up in the standard and intensity of play early in the second바카라 웹사이트either, as바카라 웹사이트summed up by consecutive points in which first Nadal and then Thiem produced astonishing running forehand winners.
Thiem at last got the first break of the match to go 4-3 ahead but the US Open champion promptly surrendered that lead as Nadal refused to give in.바카라 웹사이트
An uncharacteristically loose game from the Spaniard gifted Thiem three match points, but the 20-time grand slam champion, still waiting for his first ATP Finals trophy, dug deep to keep the contest alive.바카라 웹사이트
In the second tie-break, a spectacular backhand down the line helped Thiem edge ahead 4-3 and, although Nadal saved two further match points, his sixth defeat of the year was sealed when he pushed a backhand into the tramlines.바카라 웹사이트
"I think it was a great match from the first to the last point," Thiem, who hit 37바카라 웹사이트winners to 22 unforced errors, said to Amazon Prime Sport.바카라 웹사이트"I was pretty lucky to get the first set, 2-5 down in the tie-break, and against Rafa, obviously it's nice to win the first set but still I had to stay super focused.바카라 웹사이트
"I had the feeling the whole match was very high-level but I'm very happy with the way I served. Most of the time I get the first serve in, I'm into the offence. When I was in difficult situations, the serve helped me out a lot."바카라 웹사이트
Thiem will be the first player to qualify for the semi-finals if바카라 웹사이트Tsitsipas바카라 웹사이트defeats바카라 웹사이트Rublev바카라 웹사이트in the late session.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Nadal: 25/16
Thiem: 37/22
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Nadal: 2/1
Thiem: 6/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Nadal: 1/2
Thiem: 1/5
