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The $ 5.7 million ATP finals in London kick off Sunday with a bang, not just from an Austrian point of view (from 1 pm live and exclusively on Sky Sport Austria 1: with the SkyX Dream Pass you can be there live for only 10 euros per month): In the first singles, the “London 2020” group will repeat last year’s final between Austria’s “Sportsman of the Year” Dominic Thiem and current Greek 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 22-year-old Tsitsipas toe-to-toe 4: 3. The second group match on Opening Sunday will be played by 20-time major winner Rafael Nadal and Masters rookie Andrej Rublew in the evening session. (not before 9 pm)
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’s coming, only the top ten players are coming. I think this year is a bit more difficult, in general because the eight players are in good shape and, above all, they are all in shape, ”explained the world number three. Rate both groups very strongly.
“There is no long torch in the tournament, 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 game is very important. If you get off to a good start to the tournament, ideally with a win, of course it will have very good effects on the next group games. If you lose, you are already completely under pressure, ”said the US Open Champion.
Melzer qualified for the third time for the ATP Finals
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 fond memories of this last duel with Tsitsipas, a final in front of 17,000 fans and a great atmosphere at 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 and Kitzbühel, London offered 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 little by little more and more spectators will arrive at the stadiums. “
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And for next year, if the year goes according to plan, Thiem also has a fixed point: “I really hope that the Olympics will be held in Tokyo. In safe conditions, of course, but it would be great, especially in Tokyo, one of my favorite cities. “Thiem has gradually changed his attitude and now wants to be there.” I was actually lucky because I couldn’t have played the Olympics in 2020 because I was supposed to play in Kitzbühel. I’ll be able to play in 2021. I changed my mind about the Olympics. Now it would be a dream for me to participate in the games. If possible, I would definitely want to play. “
He used to focus on Masters events, then saw emotional appearances at the 2016 Olympics from Juan Martin Del Potro or Andy Murray. “I saw that the Olympic Games are very important in tennis. If I had a long career, I could play three Olympics, it would be great. “
Back in the “present”, Thiem again gave the go-ahead to the injury to the sole of the foot that had worsened in Vienna. “The foot has recovered well, it was not the first time I had the problem. I’ve been fully training for the last ten or eleven days and I felt good. The surface of course becomes very aggressive on the foot again, 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. Jürgen Melzer finally qualified for the third time for the ATP Finals double competition with the final in Sofia. Alongside his French teammate Edouard Roger-Vasselin he is in the Sofia final, so the two could also lose the final to their persistent pursuers Jamie Murray / Neal Skupski (GBR).
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Item Image: GEPA
