World number 3 Dominic Thiem defeated number 15 seed Félix Auger-Aliassime in two sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Thiem will now face Alex De Minaur in the quarter-finals of the 2020 US Open.
Thiem was in control of the first set 5-4 as he stepped forward to serve him. Subsequently, after a bad game serve and some unforced errors, the Austrian allowed Auger-Aliassime to force the first set at the tie-break. However, seed number 2 Thiem went back to win the tiebreak and take the opening set.
The second and third sets were one-sided, with Thiem finishing the match with his signature shot: a flamboyant backhand winner.
“Sets two and three were 100% the best sets so far for me”, Thiem said during the post-match interview.
Auger-Aliassime was playing in the fourth round of a major for the first time and had ousted former world number 1 Andy Murray in the second round. Thiem, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, spoke highly of 20-year-old Félix.
“I just beat an extraordinary opponent, an incoming superstar.”
With world number 1 Novak Djokovic disqualified, the 2020 US Open is the best chance for Thiem to win his first Grand Slam. However, the runner-up of the Australian Open 2020 spoke of players who don’t give much importance to the absence of the Big 3.
“For me and the other players left in the draw, it doesn’t matter if the Big Three are here or not. I think everyone just wants their hands on this trophy, ”commented Thiem, who lost three Grand Slam finals to Novak Djokovic (Australian Open 2020) and Rafael Nadal (French Open 2018-19).
Dominic Thiem finds the US Open 2020 surreal
The US Open 2020 marks only the second moment in the Open era in which no former men’s singles champion has reached the quarter-finals. Thiem admitted it was odd to be one of the oldest guys left in the tournament given the absence of the Big Three.
Thiem will face number 21 seed Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows. The duo played twice against each other, with Thiem winning both matches.
