Dominic Thiem’s 7-6, (4), 4-6, 6-3 upset of tenth seed Feliciano Lopez in the second round of the ATP 1000 Miami Open earns the 21 year old Austrian the title of Player of the Day.
The upset was an impressive one. Lopez was in good form coming into the event- last week in Indian Wells he knocked out world no. 5 Kei Nishikori on his way to the quarter-finals.
Thiem, meanwhile has been struggling in 2015 after a breakthrough 2014 in which he made the U.S Open fourth round, broke into the top 40 (achieved highest ranking of 36 on 08.09.14), and scored a win over then reigning Australian Open and Monte Carlo champion Stan Wawrinka at the Madrid Open.
A viral infection and military service over the off-season knocked the momentum out of Thiem though, and coming into Miami, the 52nd ranked player in the world was 3-6 on the ATP tour, and lost in the quarter-finals last week in Irving on the Challenger Tour.
Thiem, who beat Diego Schwartzman in the previous round, won back to back matches for only the second time in 2015 after beating Lopez. His previous back to back wins came in Marseilles, though he did not have to complete the second win over Goffin who retired 0-5 down in the second set.
Before the Lopez match, Thiem was 1-0 versus Lopez, beating the Spaniard in straight sets on his way to the U.S Open fourth round last year.
Thiem edged a close first set 7-6 (4). In the tiebreak, Thiem hit a winning lob to grab a crucial mini-break and lead 5-4.
At 6-4, serving, Thiem served out wide, stepped into the court and hit an aggressive forehand to the Lopez backhand side, forcing an error and sealing the set.
Thiem dropped the second set, but came back strong in the third, his more penetrating ground strokes, superior back court play, aggressive passing shots and willingness to move forward got the better off Lopez. Thiem scored an early break in the third and then held all the way to 5-3 when he served for the match.
The 21 year old reached match point with a winning smash. Lopez saved the first with a volley winner, but on the second match point, Thiem served down the middle and then hit his signature shot- a single handed backhand- cross-c0urt for a winner to move into the Miami Open third round.
Thiem’s fist pump and grin after winning the match point with a blistering winner was great to see. The 21 year old is one of the players to watch on the ATP Tour and this win could help him get back to the strong form he displayed in 2014.
Thiem has now defended his last 64 Miami points from 2014 and now faces either Fabio Fognini or Jack Sock in the last 32.
Watch highlights of Thiem’s win over Lopez below
Commentary by Christian Deverille
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