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Dominic Thiem starts against Stefanos Tsitsipas in his fifth ATP final. This leads to a new edition of the final of the previous year.
5.23 pm, November 13, 2020
The $ 5.7 million endowed with an explosion begins, not only from the Austrian point of view ATP Finals in London Sunday (not before 3 pm / live Sky Sport Austria): In the first individual comes in a group “London 2020” to repeat the final of the previous year among the Austrian “Sportsman of the Year” Dominic Thiem and the Greek defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Thiem had lost the final almost a year ago with 7: 6.2: 6.6: 7, it was the last duel with the Greek so far. The 27 year old US Open-Winner leads head-to-head with 22-year-old Tsitsipas 4: 3. The second group match on Opening Sunday will be played by the 20-time Major winner. Rafael Nadal and the debutante teacher Andrej Rublew in the evening session (not before 9 pm).
Dominic Thiem: “There are no good or bad draws”
Thiem commented on his group in a video press conference on Friday afternoon. “I think there is no good or bad draw in the tournament. You know what is coming, only the top ten players will come. I think this year is a bit more difficult, usually because the eight players are good They are in shape and, on Everything, everyone is fit, ”explained the world number 3. He rates both groups very strongly.
“In the tournament there is no long torch, it starts from the first point,” Thiem said before his fifth appearance at the “Masters”. In addition, he enters the first game on Sunday with an important experience. “The first match is extremely important. If you have a good start to the tournament, ideally with a win of course, then it has very good effects for the next group games. If you lose, you are already under pressure,” USA said. Open champion.
Thiem’s 50th anniversary “a gift”
The fact that the tournament, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary by the way, opens with the final of the previous year is “a pleasure” for Thiem. But almost all matches depend on the condition of the day.
He has very good memories of this last duel with Tsitsipas, a final before 17,000 fans and a great atmosphere in the O2-Arena. This year, this tournament has also been downgraded to a “ghost tournament” with no fans due to the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s kind of sad,” Thiem said. In addition to the Grand Slams and their local tournaments in Vienna Y Kitzbühel They have given London the “best atmosphere”. “That’s why it’s going to be a bit difficult.” However, he and his colleagues are now used to this strange situation at first. “This week, who knows what will happen next year. I hope that more and more spectators will go to the stadiums.”
Thiem waits for the Tokyo Olympics
And for next year, if the year goes as planned, Thiem also has a fixed point: “I really hope that the Olympics will be held in Tokyo. Of course in safe conditions, but it would be great, especially in Tokyo, one of my favorite Cities “. Thiem has gradually changed his attitude about it and now he wants to be there. “I was lucky because I couldn’t play the Olympics in 2020 because I was supposed to play in Kitzbühel. I’ll be able to play in 2021. I have changed my mind about the Olympics. Now it would be a dream for me to participate in the Games. I may definitely want to to play “.
He used to focus on Masters events, then made emotional appearances at the 2016 Olympics Juan Martin del Potro or Andy Murray viewed. “I’ve seen that the Olympics are very important in tennis. If I have a long career, I could play the Olympics three times, that would be great.”
All cleared by Thiem’s foot injury
Back in the “present”, Thiem again gave the go ahead regarding the injury to the sole of the foot, which had worsened in Vienna. “The foot has recovered well, it was not the first time I had the problem. I have trained thoroughly for the last ten or eleven days and I feel good. The surface there, of course, is again very aggressive. Foot, but we tap every day and try to keep the load as low as possible and then hopefully I can play as many games as possible. “
Since Friday afternoon it has also become clear that Thiem will not be the only Austrian in the season’s draw at the O2 Arena. Jurgen Melzer has reached the final in Sofia finally he qualified for the third time for the double competition of the ATP Finals. Next to his French partner Edouard Roger-Vasselin if he is in the final in Sofia and thus the two could also the final duel against their persevering pursuers Jamie Murray / Neal Skupski (GBR) also loses.
