SAN FRANCISCO, November 22, (THEWILL) – Dominic Thiem provided an exhibition of his power and resilience as he beat World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in three tough sets to reach the final in London.
The two players could only be separated by a deciding set for the fifth time in their last six meetings. This time around, Thiem prevailed after plenty of perseverance.
In the epic second set tie-break, the Austrian squandered four match points and eventually lost 12-10 with Djokovic demonstrating his trademark unflappability and defensive skills to extend the encounter.
Thiem also contrived to help Djokovic remain in the match when he double-faulted on one of his match points in the second set breaker, keeping the match on a knife edge.
In the decider, Thiem showed incredible poise and determination in taking victory after a second brutal tie-break.
“It was a mental battle, I got so tight in the second-set tie-break,” Thiem said after his victory.
“To play these legends is always special and to play here is also something special. I thought after winning the title in New York I would be more calm, but that was a mistake I guess.”
Djokovic was gracious: “What he did from 0-4 in the tie-break was unreal.
“I don’t think I played bad, I made all my first serves; he just crashed the ball and everything went in. What can you do?”
In the other semi-final Daniil Medvedev, fresh from his triumph at the Paris Masters, will contend against Roland Garros legend Rafael Nadal, who is still seeking his first title at the ATP Finals in his illustrious career.
With those still left in contention, whoever wins in London before the event moves to Turin next year, is guaranteed to be a first-time champion for the fifth year in a row.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
