Dominic Thiem made it into the round of 16 at the ATP 250 tournament in Estoril on Easter Monday with some difficulty and after an interim low. The 30-year-old from Lower Austria beat Maximilian Marterer from Germany 6:1 6:7 (3/7) 6:4 after 134 minutes. With Jurij Rodionov, who will face Chilean Cristian Garin in the first round, there is a second ÖTV player in action in Portugal.
01.04.2024 17.36
Online since today, 5:36 p.m. (Update: 5:43 p.m.)
Although Thiem made many forehand errors, he also shone several times with spectacular backhand winners. “I like the conditions here,” said the world number 91, who made a successful start to the clay court season. “I came here very early to prepare well for the tournament. The first set was very good. He played better in the second set and it became an open match, a great fight.”
In the round of 16, Thiem will face 37-year-old Frenchman Richard Gasquet. The world number 122. After number four seeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina dropped out due to a toothache, he slipped into the main draw as a “lucky loser” and inherited his bye in the first round. Thiem has played against Gasquet five times so far and won the most recent three duels. Thiem had recently complained again about problems with his wrist, which had been damaged since 2021, and canceled his planned start at the Challenger in Naples after a few disappointing appearances.
Thiem makes it unnecessarily exciting
Almost two weeks after his bitter round of 16 exit against Lukas Neumayer at the Challenger in Zadar, which was also due to his wrist problems, Thiem lost in the first set against Marterer, who was quite flawed at the beginning and has not yet won a game at ATP level in 2024 with solid play there are no doubts.
The former number three in the world received a surprising break in the second round to make it 1-2. Thiem stuck with it, managed the rebreak to 4:4, but only scored three points in a completely unsuccessful tiebreak.
In the third set, Thiem broke the serve of his opponent, who was ranked 97th in the world rankings, right at the start, but immediately received the rebreak. The new break by the 2020 US Open winner, who was now acting more confidently again, to make it 3-2 was decisive. With the score at 5:3 and Marterer serving, Thiem missed his first match point. Immediately afterwards he served confidently and won the third duel with Marterer.
ATP 250 tournament in Estoril
(Portugal, 651.865 Euro, Sandplatz)
First row: Casper Ruud (NOR/1) Freilos Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) Federico Coria (ARG) -:- -:- Marton Fucsovics (HUN) Pedro Cachin (ARG) -:- -:- Gael Monfils (FRA/7 ) Henrique Rocha (POR) -:- -:- Richard Gasquet (FRA) * Freilos
Dominic Thiem (AUT) Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6:1 6:7 (3/7) 6:4 Daniel Altmaier (GER) Pedro Martinez (ESP) -:- -:- Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB/6 ) 6:1 7:5 Arther Fils (FRA/5) Joao Sousa (POR) -:- -:-
Yuri Rodionov (AUT) Cristian Garin (CHI) -:- -:- Nuno Borges (POR) Lucas Pouille (FRA) -:- -:- Lorenzo Musetti (ITA/3) Freilos Dominic Koepfer (GER/8) Pablo Llamas Ruiz (ESP). ) -:- -:- Constant Lestienne (FRA) Jaime Faria (POR) -:- -:- Joao Fonseca (BRA) Jan Choinski (GBR) -:- -:- Hubert Hurkacz (POL/2) Freilos
* Replacement for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP/4)
Doubles, round of 16:
Sam Weissborn / Romain Arneodo (AUT/MON) Ariel Behar / Adam Pavlasek (URU/CZE/3) -:- -:-
