[This section will be for the match report, set by set. I'll keep updating it if I watch the match. ]
Match Summary
First set :- 6-3 zverev.
Set Summary :-
If I had to sum up this set in three words, I'd have said "Thiem's Forehand Error". It was indeed a poor set of tennis from the Austrian, and sascha needed nothing more than putting ball back into play to break him. The set starts with breaks on each side, first thiem loses serve with 4 unforced errors in the first game. In the next game, zverev returns the favour by serving nervy and thiem capitalises by putting almost every return back into play, breaks zverev back and then holds again. In the 4th game with zverev serving, there's a slight rain delay and play is stopped for a short duration. Zverev, still serving nervy, gathers his composure and starts serving lights out from that point onwards. Throughout the set, zverev puts in more than 85% of his first serves in with 210+ kmph pace on it, against which even elite returners will be paralysed in my honest opinion. In the 7th game at 3-3, Thiem tries to go for too much and drops his serve. Zverev holds to love the next game to take the lead 5-3. In the concluding game, zverev hits an ultra agressive return off the thiem wide serve & gets to 0-15 and then to 0-30 thanks to thiem misfiring. The Austrian plays 4 good points to go up 40-30 but then again misfires on 3 more points to hand over the set to Alexander Zverev. Zverev serving lights out and Thiem spraying were the highlights, as we move into the 2nd set of this match with the serve-zoning German serving first.
2nd set :- 6-4 Thiem
Set summary :-
A dramatic, yet quite average quality set of tennis between the two. Though, Finally, I can say that thiem had settled down and started playing tennis decently; though still not as well as he did against Rafa. On the other hand, zverev's serve experiences a dip, both in terms of first serve percentage and accuracy; he throws in some double faults as well. The set starts with both players holding serve in their respective games. In the third game, at 1-1, zverev throws in 2 costly double faults to which thiem capitalises and breaks, followed by an easy hold to take a 3-1 lead. In the next game, the German gathers his composure to hold and then breaks back at 2-3 in what seemed s momentum changing game. Being pegged back, thiem would come roaring back in the very next game to break the Sascha serve again and then holds serve easily to go up 5-3. In the next game, despite thiem throwing everything at him, Zverev manages to hold serve and asks the question to Dominic whether he can see out the set. In the 10th and final game of the set, zverev's agressive return gives him the initial advantage 0-15, then at 15-15 the German produces a smash-over-a-smash shot to give him 15-30 advantage on thiem serve. Thiem faces two break points in that game at 30-40 & 40-ad, both due to his errors. Though, he saves them and sets up set point for himself by some brilliant and brutal rallies. On set point, thiem hits a T serve which Sascha can't return and the match is levelled now. As we move into the 3rd set of this match with a slight dip in zverev's serve and thiem pressing less in order to keep errors in check.
3rd set :-
7-6 (3) thiem
Set summary :-
A really strange set of tennis from both guys. At times, both seemed to be in charge at times and then suddenly dropping their form. The tennis quality was similar to 2nd set and the drams was even more intense, as this set could have gone to either guy imo. Imo, they very decisive moments came at the set's latter stages and that's where zverev underplayed and thiem stayed clutch enough to snatch this set. The play starts with both players holding easily to level 1-1. Now zverev again starts serving nervy and goes down 0-40, saves 2 of the break points to go 30-40, but ultimately Thiem prevails and breaks before serving an easy hold to go up 3-1. In the 5th game, Thiem who's seemingly on a roll now, goes 40-15 on zverev's serve; only to be pegged back by the German's clutch serving and an incredible cat-mouse point to hold his serve. As soon as that incredible point ends, Thiem's level seems to be going down quite instantaneously, after zverev holds serve; errors coming from the Austrian's racquet gifts the break back to Zverev. From now onwards, Alexander seems to be in command as he squeezes through his next service game to go up 4-3. After thiem holds serve with some hassle to level 4-4, still looking down, hits incredible winners on the next 2 zverev service points go set 0-30, only for the German to come back with incredible serving, who does not let his concentration down despite a funny argument with chair umpire. Now comes the most crucial game of the set and probably the match as well. Thiem looking down, weary and error-machine, serving at 4-5 to stay in the set. The Austrian takes it to 40-30 but zverev drags the game to generate 2 breakpoints for himself. Imo, this is where the German downplayed himself. He had to take chance and failed, then 2 more easy holds from each side follow and we're going to the tiebreaker with momentum on the young Sascha's side. Thiem plays an incredible low ball FH volley on the first point, and then holds both of his serve points to go up 3-0. After that, zverev holds both points, only to be followed by thiem who goes up 5-2. Thiem rips the FH DTL on 5-3 rally to set up 3 set points for him, on 6-3 Thiem again rips the BH cross court to win the set 7-6(3), managing just to raise his level when it mattered the most. As we head into the 4th set with thiem serving first
4th set thiem 7-6 (4)
Set summary :-
Probably the most weird set between the two in this match. Both players, having drained so much energy from each other, seemed to have given up almost completely on returning games. It was visible from the get go, as zverev's serving levels had dropped significantly in terms of accuracy and placement, and thiem was not still not pressing so hard to have looks. On the other hand, zverev made thiem's serve look like Isner serve at times. Also, this set saw a lot of backhand slicing from thiem, as if he wasn't confident enough to go for topspin shots. For the most part, slice keeps the ball just back in play and gains thiem no advantage as sascha handles the slice pretty well. Also, zverev goes for serve and volley too much, which isn't his natural play ofcourse, displaying that he's not confident enough in his groundies. Though thiem burns him with stunning passers at times, zverev still holds his ground(or net, should I say) to hold. At 4-5 serving 40-0, zverev drops 4 points in a row and it looks likes Thiem's time has come, but the German still hangs on. After that, the Austrian holds serve for the next game, only to be followed by Sascha. 4th set goes into what is Now the 2nd consecutive tiebreaker set in this match, with momentum slightly still on zverev's side. The tiebreaker was probably one of the most nervy, edgy and erry tiebreaker I've ever seen by two players atleast for the first 70% part. Tiebreaker starts with thiem serving an excellent wide serve to Zverev FH, which results in an unreturnable. On the next point, zverev double faults and on the 3rd point, again a nervy zverev throws away the point and thiem is 3-0 up with 2 mini breaks. Despite being in charge, Thiem's nerves get the better of him and he goes for idiotic shots to handle both of those mini breaks back to sascha by errors. Zverev's not done yet on the misfiring part, on the next point he misses an easy FH smash to hand over the 4-2 lead again to thiem. Then serves an unreturnable to stay. After 4-3, Thiem's FH goes redlining and he hits 3 consecutive massive inside out winners on 4-3, 5-3 & 6-4 to win the tiebreaker by 7-4 and the match by 4 sets
Match :- 3h 20 min,
Result :- Thiem def. Zverev 3-6 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(4)
All I know for certain is that I hope this side of the draw wins the final so we have a brand new GS winner! (Djokovic is going to be really tough to beat though).
