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Alexander Zverev has to wait for his first Grand Slam success. The Hamburger defeated Dominic Thiem in a dramatic and historic five-move final in New York.
Alexander Zverev lost Sunday night (09/14/2020) in New York in the US Open final against Austrian Dominic Thiem in five rounds despite a 2-0 lead in the set. The 23-year-old missed a great opportunity to win the first German title in one of the four biggest tournaments since Boris Becker at the 1996 Australian Open.
Zverev had to admit defeat 6: 2, 6: 4, 4: 6, 3: 6, 6: 7 (6: 8) after 4:01 hours. For Thiem, 27, it was the fourth attempt at a first Grand Slam victory. He is the first player in 16 years to win the title in a final after a 2-0 deficit in the set. In the tie-break, the cramping Austrian seized his third match point. In the tenth duel between the two, it was Zverev’s eighth loss.
Fair congratulations from Zverev
At the end of the several-hour roller coaster, Thiem fell backward onto the blue track and covered his face with his hands. Zverev went to the other side of the net, congratulated his opponent fairly and gave him a hug.
“It was a tough fight. I wish you had made a few more mistakes to be able to hold this trophy up high,” Zverev said in Thiem’s direction, soon after bursting into tears. “I’m sure my parents are proud of me at home, even if I lost. One day I’ll bring the trophy with me.”
Zverev Active Start
Zverev got off to a brilliant start due to strict hygiene conditions at the nearly deserted Arthur Ashe Stadium. Unlike the previous two matches, when Zverev started waiting and wavering and always lost the first set, he was there from the beginning and surprised his friend with aggressive and brave tennis. By 2: 1, Zverev took the service of the visibly nervous Austrian, by 5: 2 he managed another break. After just half an hour, Zverev got the first set 6-2.
The Hamburg native took the start of the dream in stride. Zverev remained very focused and was not bothered by the fact that Thiem obviously wasn’t moving that well.
At the beginning of the second stage he also managed a quick break to make it 2-1, Zverev decided what happened at will. The number one German walked away to 5: 1, but then obviously got nervous. The world number seven missed four set balls and also lost his serve for the first time in this match. Thiem now felt his chance, also because Zverev made some small mistakes. But Zverev kept his nerves and got the second step with the fifth set.
Thiem achieves sentence setting
But just one sentence from the big dream, Zverev was getting more and more nervous. Aggression and evidence were lost, the error rate increased. Since Thiem also remained well below his level, an ending developed at a moderate level at times. Thiem benefited and got the third set. Zverev didn’t seem surprised at first and kept the fourth round open. Both players have now improved again and have finally thrown an exciting exchange of blows.
Thiem managed to equalize the set and also took the lead with a break in the deciding set. But Zverev showed, as so many times, a great fighter’s heart and immediately removed Thiem from service. Zverev pushed his way forward hard and took the lead again. He made the break to 5: 3, but immediately conceded the replay to 5: 4. It was finally a high-class match that came to an end in the tiebreak that could not be overcome in tension, with the final furious for Thiem, who he was riddled with cramps.
