TENNIS NEWS | Tennis fans are loving Dominic Thiem’s comeback right now
October 27, 2022GAME OKBET : Watch Dominic Thiem’s comeback on Tennis Channel Live!
Tuesday night at Vienna’s Stadthalle, the roars for Dominic Thiem took almost an hour to really get going. The Austrian had been dominated by Tommy Paul in the first set, which Paul won 6-2. People in the audience could see that Thiem was settling in for the long haul.
Dominic Thiem’s comeback
Since then, he’s been pausing more often between points and serving with greater deliberation. He pumped his fists steadily and briefly to show his resolve. He resisted falling behind in the set and saved many break points. He seemed like he was determined to win the match no matter how long it went on or how improbable it was. Fans from Thiem’s own nation, who hadn’t seen him in two years, showed their support by cheering as loud as they could. Over the course of the following two sets, Vienna mimicked New York’s sonic landscape.
A warm welcome to Dominic Thiem Version 2.0. He spent the most of his twenties as a potential successor to the Big Three. He finished second to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros twice, and he became the first player born in his generation to win a major tournament in the 2020 US Open, which was interrupted by a global epidemic. Even though it was just two years ago, in terms of Thiem’s professional career, it may as well have been a century. At first, he felt a sense of disappointment after winning the Slam. Then he hurt his finger and wrist. After that, he had Covid. Until this past July, he had not won a match after playing for 426 days straight. While he was away, two younger players, Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz, won the US Open and climbed to the top of the rankings.
In course, it’s a shame that a brilliant player had to miss out on two years of his prime. Everyone enjoys a good comeback story, and now Thiem may be part of one. He was a popular pick to advance to the last four in Vienna, just as he was in Gijon and Antwerp earlier this month. Many of us, including Thiem himself, took his game for granted when he was in his mid-20s and far from the limelight of the Big Three. His jumping forehand, lethally whipped one-handed backhand, and spontaneous, unrestrained outbursts in German were all taken as givens. Fans are relieved to see all of that again, and even more relieved that he didn’t quit the game too soon. The Thiem narrative now has a new, more empathetic and accessible layer.
To beat Paul on Tuesday, Thiem required all of his collected drive and deja vu shotmaking skills. A dejected Thiem stormed off the court after an ace put the American ahead 5-2 in the last set. The throng, however, would not allow him to cave in. Later in the match, Thiem received a powerful crosscourt backhand from Paul and responded with a trademark one-handed backhand winner. For others, it was a nostalgic moment that inspired them to get up and cheer.
However, he had not yet reached safety. After 20 minutes of play, with the score at 4-6 in the final tiebreaker, Thiem was facing two match points. Finally, with match point in sight, Thiem received some much-appreciated assistance from Paul, who squandered it by sending a simple backhand long and a hasty, nasty forehand smack into the heart of the net. Thiem’s celebration on the court was reminiscent of his US Open victory after Paul’s next return sailed long. The trip back has been long, so we’ll pardon his elation.
On Thursday, Thiem will play Medvedev, the tournament’s top seed. Both the match and Thiem’s 2023 campaign are ones to anticipate with interest. We now have a new No. 1 in the men’s game in Alcaraz, and a fresh crop of players who seem poised to take over from there. Thiem is just 29, yet he may still be a member of that groundbreaking generation. He can still make shots and jumps, but this time he’ll also have the support of the crowd in a manner he never has before.
