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World number one Novak Djokovic claimed that he did not play badly in the third set tie-break, but that Dominic Thiem played “unreal tennis” and that was the main reason the Serbian was expelled from the Nitto ATP Finals.
Djokovic, who wanted to win his sixth title at the Nitto ATP Finals this year, was ousted by Thiem in a thriller when the Austrian reached the final with 7: 5, 6: 7 (10), 7: 6 (5) in the O2 Arena.
Djokovic saved four match points in the second set tie-break before converting his own fourth set point to force a third set. Djokovic looked headed for a big comeback and led 4-0 after the first four points of the third-set tie-break.
Surprisingly, Djokovic lost the next six points as Thiem took a 6-4 lead before turning his fifth match point into a huge victory. “Well, I mean what he did from 4-0 in the third tiebreaker set was just unreal.
I don’t think I played badly, “Djokovic said after the Metro UK game.” Actually, I both did my first serves, actually all my first serves. 4: 1, 4: 2, 4: 5, you know, 4: 6, I did all the first serves.
“He just crushed the ball. Everything came in from both corners and played some very short cuts, you know, angle.” Yes, I mean, what can you do? I mean, I was in a driving position to make it 4-0.
I thought you knew I was very close to winning it. Yes, I mean, he just took it from me. “But he deserved it because he just did it and it all worked.”
Djokovic shows class after losing to Thiem
Djokovic, a 17-time Grand Slam champion, praised Thiem for the way he rose in the third set tie-break.
“I mean, you know, the difference was that when you hit full force and everything goes in, it just goes in. When you hit full force, sometimes it goes off. It’s that easy. It did, like I said, 0: 4 all well done.
I mean, I have to take off my hat and say congratulations. “In fact, after the 4-0 win, I never played bad. I thought I would be there at every point. I hit the ball, I didn’t push it, but it just broke it and it played great. ”
