With the post 9-4 in infighting and a space on top of the world ranking went Rafael Nadal into quarterfinals at Australian Open against femteseedede Dominic Thiem as a favorite.
This did not, however, Thiem, who patiently waited for his chances and disarmed Nadal, when the sets were decided in tiebreak. It secured him a splendid victory on 7-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 after more than four hours of tennis.
This is the 26-year-old Thiem for the first time ready for the semifinals at the Australian Open. The last two years he has lost the French Open final for just Nadal, but in none of the other three grand slam tournaments he has previously been in the semi-final.
the First set was quite straight forward to the match in the eighth game, Nadal at his first and only breakbold in the set brought out at 5-3.
He neglected, however, the opportunity to serve the set home afterwards. Thiem came back, forcing the set into a tiebreak, which he won in a relatively secure with 7-3.
In the second set was Nadal again, just use a single breakbold in the set to bring itself to the front, but again beat Thiem back and sent the set into tiebreak.
Again it was the austrian is clearly the strongest in the decision. He brought himself at 4-0 and took tiebreaken home with 7-2.
a Headwind is an unusual size for Nadal. Today he got the to brand. Photo: William West
The sejrsvante spaniard, who is on the hunt to tangere Roger Federers record of 20 grand slam titles, was now seriously pressed.
Nadal is usually a machine who commit very few mistakes, and in conjunction with his impressive physique makes it, he often is strong in the long rallies.
But Thiem could fine a result with the physical, and something unfamiliar for Nadal, it was his opponent, who took the majority of the points in the longer rallies.
It was a crucial factor in the first two sets.
the Third set was quite equal, and both players were extremely strong in their own servepartier. In the nine first parties there was not a single breakmulighed, but since Thiem spill at 4-5, beat the experienced Nadal for the.
On the way to an exit he found storspillet forward, getting ahead 40-15, and on his second breakbold he took the set. The climb to wild cheers from the topseedede spaniard.
Nadal is a fighter, and he smelled blood. Despite three breakbolde against in his first serveparti in the fourth set however, it did Thiem to fend off.
instead, he pitched effectively in spanierens serv subsequent and spill out to 3-1 shortly after.
the exchange Rate against a semi-final against Alexander Zverev was set, but then he should serve matches home at 5-4, came the errors.
Nadal was again, and once again had the set be decided in the tiebreak. The discipline had Thiem twice proved strongest in, and he repeated, though it was hard.
He abused two matchbolde at 6-4, but ended with the execution of its tiebreak-hat-trick, as he won with 8-6 on his third match point.
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