Dominic Thiem claims maiden Grand Slam in wild US Open final

New York

IN A WILD comeback that seemed improbable and predictable, lost and then found, Dominic Thiem battled from two sets down to win the US Open on Sunday night (Monday morning, Singapore time) over Alexander Zverev.

Thiem edged out his good friend Zverev from Germany in a gripping fifth-set tiebreaker that capped a four-hour marathon that included golden opportunities for Zverev to win and left both men battling cramps in the final moments. The second seeded Austrian beat the fifth seed 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) in 4 hr 2min inside a near-empty Arthur Ashe Stadium. It marked the first time in the US Open's open era history that a player had recovered from losing the opening two sets to win the title.

Thiem, a 27-year-old Austrian, won his first Grand Slam tournament in his fourth major final. A critical factor was that this time neither Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal nor Novak Djokovic stood on the other side of the net. He is the second Austrian to win a Grand Slam after Thomas Muster's 1995 French Open title

Thiem, one of a group of promising younger players who have long failed to topple those ageing giants, became the first currently active player in his 20s to win a Grand Slam event. He is the first new Grand Slam champion in six years since Croatian Marin Cilic won at Flushing Meadows in 2014.

Thiem came into the US Open final having lost three Grand Slam finals - in five sets to Djokovic in the Australian Open earlier this year and twice to Nadal in the French Open in 2018 and 2019. With Zverev, 23, serving for the match at 5-3 in the fifth set, Thiem won the first two points to put the big German on the ropes, then forced him into one too many errors as Zverev could not close the door for the championship.

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Absence of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic's disqualification

Although this tournament may always be known for the absence of Federer and Nadal and Djokovic's disqualification for unintentionally hitting a line judge with a ball, Thiem's name will be etched in the same font as past champions. There was no discount on his US$3 million winner's cheque. If others see this title as diminished in some way, Thiem is not among them.

"I achieved a life goal and a dream I had for many, many years," he said.

The game's ultimate pressure cooker, a fifth-set tiebreaker, was a microcosm of the match itself. Zverev took an early lead, Thiem battled back to take control, then Zverev fought off two match points to level the set at 6-6. But Thiem slammed one last searing forehand winner and Zverev sent one last backhand wide to give Thiem the championship.

Thiem collapsed when it was over. Minutes later, Zverev broke into tears during the trophy ceremony as he thanked his parents.

"It's just tough," he said. "I wish one day that I can bring the trophy home." Thiem added: "We both deserved it."

On paper, the match was Thiem's to lose. He had dispatched Daniil Medvedev, the top opponent remaining after Djokovic was disqualified, in three sets in the semifinals. He had dropped just one set in six matches.

His blistering backhand became the shot no one could answer, the one that left the best players in the world shaking their heads, their spirits crushed as yet another winner whizzed down a sideline.

Zverev, on the other hand, had looked eminently beatable, especially during his error-filled semifinal, when he was down two sets and hitting 120kmh second serves into the net. He somehow escaped - and laughed when he did, not quite believing he could have played so poorly and still landed in a Grand Slam final.

But it was a different Thiem who arrived for the final, and a different Zverev as well - at least early on.

For the first two sets, Zverev rode the power of his first serve and limited his errors in a crisp, efficient performance that belied his reputation as a player prone to inconsistency in the biggest moments despite his immense athletic gifts.

Cruel, psychological torture

Thiem, who had cruised through the tournament with frightening precision, struggled to find his rhythm, missing long and wide on shots that had pasted the lines for nearly two weeks.

And then everything began to go sideways for Zverev. Watching a top player lose a two-set lead with a Grand Slam on the line is like witnessing someone undergoing a cruel form of psychological torture.

As the match went on, there were early hints that Thiem would come alive and Zverev would combust.

Zverev's game began to show cracks late in the second set, when he served for the set and missed an easy volley and then double faulted.

He took the set on his next service game, but the faltering reminded Thiem - if he indeed needed reminding - that Zverev had never closed one of these Grand Slam finals before. In fact, he had not played one.

Early in the third set, Zverev missed another easy volley on a break point and Thiem had his lifeline. Swinging with the freedom of someone with his back against the wall and nothing to lose, he began finding his targets and forcing Zverev to win points on his own.

As he took a seat after losing the set, Zverev looked at his coaches, his eyes wide open. Was this really happening?

It was. Eight games later, Zverev double faulted at deuce and sent a soft forehand into the middle of the net that allowed Thiem to serve for the fourth set.

Quickly, it was tied up. But just when it looked as though Thiem was going to run away and hide, breaking Zverev in the first game of the fifth set, he struggled with prosperity, as Zverev battled then seemingly broke away, giving himself a chance to serve for the match at 5-3.

The fun, of course, was just starting. Capitalising on Zverev's twitchy serve and tentative play from the baseline, Thiem tied the final set at 5-5.

Grace and tension or power and nerves

What ensued was that mix of grace and tension, or power and nerves that few other sports provide. The only question remaining was who would crack last.

With a soft ball floating around his eyes along the left sideline, Zverev did what all modern players do, running around his backhand and aiming a big forehand straight down that line. Once more, he fumbled the chance, sending the ball far beyond the baseline.

Now it was Thiem's chance to finish it off, serving at 6-5. He did not handle prosperity all that well either, dropping the first two points and giving Zverev two chances to force a tiebreaker. He needed both and, on the second one he ripped a forehand winner to give this match a fitting conclusion. NYTIMES