This means that a mixed season continues for Thiem, who was crowned Grand Slam champion for the first time in New York last September. As last year’s finalist at the Australian Open, the 27-year-old was eliminated in the round of 16 and came to Paris without a tournament win and only a 9: 7 victory record. How things will go on with Thiem or when he will start the lawn season is not known for the time being.
“I never played well in the entire game. It didn’t come out enough in the lofts. I also didn’t serve well, ”said Thiem on the ORF program“ Sport am Sonntag ”. Andujar started to play better in the third set, but “it was a strangulation from the start”, said the Lower Austrian. It was bitter that something like this happened in his favorite tournament in Paris. “I’m a little at a loss now,” said Thiem.
“That went in my pants”
He knows himself how he can normally play. “But I was far from that. The body language was okay in the first two sentences, ”but then things went downhill as the Spaniard got stronger. In the end, it was “not enough” to move into the second round. Thiem had hoped that at the French Open he would be able to “turn the season into a positive one. That went in my pants. I can only hope that I can do that at another tournament later this year ”.
Thiem after Aus “a little perplexed”
Dominic Thiem was “a little at a loss” after his first round at the French Open. The Lower Austrian had never been eliminated so early in Paris.
For Andujar it was “a special moment. I don’t know how often I will be able to experience something like this in my career. This win is a gift, it was very difficult and windy. Especially in the third sentence. I think Dominic didn’t play at his highest level, ”said the Spaniard in an interview on Center Court. In the second round, Andujar will face either Radu Albot (MDA) or Federico Delbonis (ARG).
Hardly contested game in set one
Thiem started the game with a break. He scored the last point in the first game with a great longline backhand. Among other things, because of some forehand errors by the Lower Austrian, the Spaniard promptly got the chance to rebreak. But Thiem fended off and made it 2-0. After that, both players performed their service without any problems.
This was followed by a hard-fought game lasting around 15 minutes in which Thiem was unable to use a total of five breakballs. From now on it went a little faster again: Without any further break chances at Thiem or Andujar, the Austrian used his first set ball.
Thiem wins the first set 6: 4
A break in the first set was enough for Thiem to win it 6: 4.
A total of five breaks in the second movement
At the beginning of the second round, the world number four missed the second break in the match after a 30-0 lead. Andujar fought his way back, performed his service and almost punished Thiem with the 2-0. The 27-year-old Lower Austrian had to fend off three breakballs to equalize at 1: 1. In the third game, Thiem took the 2-1 lead with the first breakball, but the 35-year-old Spaniard immediately countered with the rebreak.
When the score was 3: 3, Thiem got the break against Andujar to zero. The Lower Austrian punished the world number 68. for too many mistakes in the game and increased in a row with own service – again to zero – to 5: 3. When Thiem served on the win of the second set at 5: 4, Andujar managed the rebreak to 5: 5. The Lichtenwörther kept the pressure up and again took the serve to zero from the Spaniard. He made it 2-0 in sets with his second set ball.
Thiem also secures the second set with 7: 5
After a hard fight and several breaks, Thiem secured the second set 7: 5.
In round three, up to 3: 4, from Thiem’s point of view, the server always took the game – and that in each case predominantly sovereign. Thiem had a break chance at the score of 1: 1, which he missed. Andujar could not use a break chance to lead 4-2. After that, the Spaniard did better and took Thiem’s service – among other things because of a double error by the Lower Austrian – to zero. Andujar served to 6: 3.
Third set goes 6: 3 to Andujar
A break in the third set was enough for Andujar to win the set.
Thiem seems at a loss
Thiem opened the fourth set with a serve. After a 1-0 lead, number four on the seeding list earned two breakballs, which Andujar was able to fend off. The Lower Austrian gave his next service to zero and could not really bring the Spaniard into trouble as a setback. The result was a 1: 3 deficit for Lichtenwörther. Thiem accepted Andujar’s next break chance with a perplexed shake of his head, but was able to fend off this and another after a double fault. The Spaniard couldn’t take the third break chance in this game and took the lead 4-1.
Andujar also takes fourth set
Andujar had the better ending in the fourth set as well. The Spaniard won it 6: 4
With the help of his opponent, who made two double mistakes after a 30-0 lead, Thiem shortened to 2: 4. The Lower Austrian made his own serve to 3: 4 after defending against a breakball. The necessary second break against the Spaniard was denied him, however, and the world number 68. also won the fourth round.
Art blow brings Thiem back briefly
The decision set started very badly for the Lower Austrian. After 0:30 on his own serve, he gave his opponent three break chances with a double fault, of which Andujar used the second to lead 1-0. Thiem managed the rebreak right away – with a trick. A return from Andujar was so strongly deflected by the edge of the net that Thiem had actually already overflowed the ball and had to accept it behind his back. That also surprised the Spaniard.
Thiem creates a rebreak with artistry
A trick from Thiem brought the Lower Austrian back into play, at least for a short time
Thiem’s self-confidence increased again – at least for a short time. After his own serve, Andujar fended off a breakball Thiems in order to have three break chances himself. The Spaniard used his second to take a 3-2 lead. This break lead was given by the 35-year-old world number 68. not here until the end. Andujar converted his first match point after a total of 4:28 hours of play.
