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Newly crowned US Open winner Dominic Thiem praises Roger Federer. The Austrian also explains if Stan Wawrinka’s backhand is stronger and what he thinks of Nick Kyrgios.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer were absent from Flushing Meadows, and Novak Djokovic stupidly pulled himself out of the tournament. But Thiem considers it important to him that he has already won the main title.
“It has never been so difficult in the tennis age to win Grand Slam tournaments. It was important for me to get this title while Djokovic, Federer and Nadal are still there. I enjoy playing at the same time as these icons, even if the title costs me. If I had only won a major title after the big three left, it would have been a mistake, ”said the Austrian.
When Federer won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003, Thiem was nine years old. Two years later, he saw the Swiss’s first battle against Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros. A few years later, Federer was on the other side of the net.
Federer and Wawrinka as milestones
“When I was 16, I was allowed to train with him for the first time at Aorangi Park in Wimbledon. At first I was completely nervous, barely playing a ball over the net. After a few minutes it worked again. At the time I would never have thought in my life that one day I would even beat Roger, ”the now 27-year-old says on his new website.
Against the twenty-time Grand Slam winner, he currently has a positive overall balance of 5: 2 wins. For the first time he hit his “favorite athlete” (“Because he’s just a complete exception, he embodies the term superstar”) in 2016 in Rome.
Back then, however, Federer also had back problems, as Thiem pointed out. Still, it was a special day for him. His biggest win against Federer was in the Indian Wells final in 2019. “Federer’s star potential is huge around the world, even more gigantic in America. People like him everywhere! “
Dominc Thiem has a Grand Slam trophy for the first time, after a very dramatic final against Alexander Zverev.
Dominic Thiem (left) and Alexander Zverev, good friends between them, fought a battle for attrition for 4:02 hours.
After 4:02 hours, Thiem used the third ball of the match to win 2: 6, 4: 6, 6: 4, 6: 3, 7: 6 (8: 6).
Final opponent Alexander Zverev played big in phases, leading 6: 2, 6: 4 and with a 2: 1 break. He also led 5: 3 in the fifth set.
Dominic Thiems Triumph à-la-Zverev
Dominc Thiem has a Grand Slam trophy for the first time, after a very dramatic final against Alexander Zverev.
Dominic Thiem (left) and Alexander Zverev, good friends between them, fought a battle for attrition for 4:02 hours.
After 4:02 hours, Thiem used the third ball of the match to win 2: 6, 4: 6, 6: 4, 6: 3, 7: 6 (8: 6).
Final opponent Alexander Zverev played big in phases, leading 6: 2, 6: 4 and with a 2: 1 break. He also led 5: 3 in the fifth set.
What he particularly appreciates about the tennis legend is his qualities off the court: “Federer is very, very funny and also completely relaxed. In the dressing room, in a really small circle, he is a completely different person than the one in the square. Funny, open and also loves little jokes. ”Meanwhile, Thiem (ATP 3) is even one place ahead of his idol in the world rankings.
Thiem celebrated his first win against a top 10 player against Stan Wawrinka of all places: “2014 in Madrid, third round, night session, took the lead in three sets. We get along really well too, but I envy his one-handed backhand. He will probably always be my role model for this hit. “
“There has never been a guy like this”
Nick Kyrgios is not a role model for Thiem. The Australian spared no criticism of the Adria Tour, which infected many players. Thiem also participated in the tournament, but did not test positive for the corona virus. Then Kyrgios denied Thiem and the other participants the intellectual level to understand everything. Thiem said at the time: ‘Kyrgios himself has constructed a lot of nonsense. I understand it even less when it interferes everywhere. It would be better if he reconciled with himself instead of always criticizing others. ”
On the website, Thiem also comments on Kyrgios: “Distinctive, immutable, completely unique! Tennis can be happy that this sport also has such stars. There’s never been such a guy, and there probably won’t be one anymore. Nick polarizes, many fans love him, many hate him. At heart he is a very nice person, we explored the nightlife in Acapulco together years ago. Legendary.”
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