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Dominic Thiem held his nerve to assert a powerful 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/4) win towards Rafael Nadal on the ATP Finals because the Austrian moved to the brink of a spot within the semi-finals on Tuesday. Thiem over-powered Nadal behind closed doorways at London’s O2 Arena to place a dent within the Spanish star’s bid to win the ATP Finals for the primary time.
The world quantity three, who defeated reigning champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in his opening recreation, has gained his first two matches on this yr’s match as he seems to go one higher than final yr’s runner-up end.
Thiem will likely be assured a semi-final place if Tsitsipas beats Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev in Tuesday’s different tie.
The 27-year-old has already loved a yr to recollect, reaching two Grand Slam finals and profitable one of many 4 majors for the primary time when he defeated Alexander Zverev within the US Open ultimate in September.
While Thiem eyes a final 4 berth, Nadal must beat Tsitsipas in his final group match to maintain alive his hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
Nadal noticed off Andrey Rublev in straight units in his first match on Sunday, however the 34-year-old was unable to deal with Thiem’s energy and poise.
Now Nadal has to do it the exhausting manner if he’s to land the largest prize lacking from his trophy cupboard after dropping the 2010 and 2013 finals on the prestigious season-ending occasion.
Nadal, who final month equalled Roger Federer’s document of 20 Grand Slams by profitable the French Open, has gained 86 titles however simply a type of has come on an indoor exhausting court docket.
The world quantity two has certified for the ATP Finals for 16 years in a row, however his document on the eight-man elite occasion pales as compared with Federer and Novak Djokovic after six damage withdrawals.
– Brutal duel –
Although Nadal had vanquished Thiem in two French Open finals, the Austrian had no cause to worry him, having overwhelmed the Spaniard on his favorite clay floor thrice and defeated him on the Australian Open this yr.
This was their first assembly indoors and a hard-fought first set went right down to a tie-break with out both participant dealing with a break level.
Nadal raced right into a 5-2 lead within the breaker, however hit again to stage at 5-5 earlier than his first double-fault gifted the Spaniard a set level.
Nadal drove a backhand into the web to provide Thiem a lifeline and the Austrian saved a second set level with a fierce forehand winner.
Matching Nadal blow for blow, Thiem earned his first set level and produced one other blistering cross-court winner to clinch an intense 75-minute set.
Nadal responded with the primary break of the match, unleashing a thunderous winner down the road at 3-Three within the second set.
Even then, Thiem would not be subdued and, holding his nerve in a brutal baseline duel, he grabbed his personal first break within the subsequent recreation.
Promoted
Thiem had three match factors at 5-Four after a collection of Nadal errors, however the Spaniard recovered his focus to save lots of all three, his escapology even drawing rueful applause from Thiem.
Once once more a tie-break was required and for the second time, Thiem got here out on high, bludgeoning Nadal into submission along with his relentless energy and accuracy.
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