Dominic Thiem came back from two sets to love down to secure an epic victory against Nick Kyrgios in the match of the Australian Open so far. Kyrgios produced some of the best tennis we’ve seen from him in some time, and it took an almighty comeback from Thiem to cross the finishing line. He triumphed 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4. With the sudden announcement of a five-day lockdown in Melbourne, the crowd were more than eager to make the most of being there, and were treated to an astonishing occasion.
Dominic Thiem vs Nick Kyrgios: Thiem Wins a Thrilling Encounter
Kyrgios Off To a Flying Start
It all began in the most electric way possible. Kyrgios broke Thiem in the first game of the match and instantly whipped the crowd into a frenzy, producing an atmosphere that most matches would only see in a tight fifth set. Kyrgios served at an unbelievable level from the off, and Thiem looked clueless when returning. The first break proved all that Kyrgios needed to secure the first set, as he completely dominated on serve to take it 6-4, closing it out with an underarm serve in the most Nick Kyrgios way possible.
It wasn’t just the serve that Kyrgios was firing on. His groundstrokes and variation were sublime, and was winning points comfortably from the back of the court and at the net.
The second set wasn’t much different. Thiem struggled to get a foothold in the rallies as Kyrgios continued to dictate the points, allowing no rhythm to his opponent. He broke once again, and served out the set to take a commanding lead of 6-4 6-4. Thiem looked shell-shocked and didn’t know how to swing things his way.
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Thiem Finds a Way Back
At the beginning of the third set, Thiem looked in real trouble. Already down two sets, he also found himself at 15-40 in his first service game. Given the way Kyrgios was serving, this could well have been the match had he been broken. However, Thiem clicked himself into overdrive. He went on to win 28 consecutive points on his serve, exuding utter dominance. His groundstrokes were being hit with far more power and depth, giving him the advantage in the rallies.
Kyrgios lost concentration in the key moments early in the set, and that was all that Thiem needed to snatch up a vital break of serve. His dominance on his own serve continued and he took the set 6-3. Thiem was back in the match.
The fourth set was the most tense one so far as both players refused to be broken. It wasn’t until the ninth game of the set with the score tied at 4-4 where Kyrgios slightly lost his focus again. After a long and gruelling game and break points being saved, Kyrgios had game point to make it 5-4. He made his first serve excellently and came into the net once again but opted for a tweener to finish the point off. He barely made contact with the ball, and Thiem revved up the accelerator to win the next two points and get the break.
Thiem went on to hold serve and level up the match at two sets a-piece. He’d weathered the storm brilliantly and as a result the momentum was now with him.
The Final Set
The fifth set was a nail-biting affair, with little indication as to which way the match would swing. Thiem continued his dominance on serve, but Kyrgios was back to serving incredibly as well. With neither player giving an inch on serve, it was back and forth until 3-3. An incredibly tight game was battled out, with Thiem finally breaking thanks to a stunning backhand return on break point.
After keeping his head down and fighting his way through the match, Thiem finally directed a fist-pump towards his box. He knew the match was now within his grasp. He went on to hold serve, as did Kyrgios. Serving for the match at 5-4, Thiem looked slightly nervous and Kyrgios was putting the pressure on, which lead to 30-30. Thiem then showed his resilience with a strong serve and set up match point. Hitting a breath-taking down-the-line backhand winner, the match was his.
An enthralling encounter between two outstanding talents. Dominic Thiem showed his mental strength and ferocious competitiveness to get through to the fourth round. Kyrgios can hold his head up high: he was brilliant and wasn’t far away from beating the World #3. With the win, Thiem goes on to play Grigor Dimitrov in Round 4, and looks to be a serious contender for the title.
Main Photo from Getty.
