Thiem wins third set 7-5!
Third set: *Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 5-7 Thiem (*denotes server): Thiem going all out to avoid a tie-break, aggressively looking for the lines and hitting some delightful winners. Djokovic is rattled by the umpire starting the service clock what the Serb perceives as a tad prematurely. Perhaps that was in his head as a straightforward error hands Thiem a set point. Djokovic saves that one and two more as the game drifts past 10 minutes. A magnificent low return proves my previous prediction wholly incorrect. Advantage Thiem!
Third set: Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 5-6 Thiem* (*denotes server): Far easier for the Austrian this time. On this form a tie-break looks inevitable.
Third set: *Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 5-5 Thiem (*denotes server): A rogue attempted winner from Djokovic sails into the net to make it 15-15, but that is redeemed in the very next point by a trip to the net that surprises his opponent and clears an easy path to hold.
Third set: Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 4-5 Thiem* (*denotes server): Thiem has a delightfully delicate slice but there are no rewards for style alone as Djokovic keeps plugging away. Facing another break point, Thiem gets a huge chunk of fortune as he twice fails to put away the point with an overhead only to see his drop shot clip the top of the net and drop in his favour. It’s a gutsy hold for Thiem a few points later as Djokovic sends a routine backhand wide.
Third set: *Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 4-4 Thiem (*denotes server): Thiem’s groundstrokes are just not as clean as Djokovic’s at the moment. The younger man is playing the more eye-catching shots but with less consistency. Thiem wins the point of the game by out-duelling Djokovic at the net to make it 30-30 all but it is in vain as the world No 1 holds to win his third game in a row.
Third set: Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 3-4 Thiem* (*denotes server): There is a steely focus to Djokovic in the early stages here and a couple of errors from his opponent again provide an opportunity to break. A double fault and a long backhand from Thiem sets up 30-40 and another loose shot from the Austrian mean it’s back on serve in the third.
Third set: *Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 2-4 Thiem (*denotes server): Straightforward hold for Djokovic.
Third set: Djokovic 2-6, 6-3, 1-4 Thiem* (*denotes server): As we resume, a wild forehand from Thiem spirals high into the air and opens the door for Djokovic and a couple of blows later the Serb has a break chance. Thiem shows some mettle to finally knock down his opponent, closing a 23-shot rally with a mighty forehand down the line to earn parity. After that it’s all Thiem, winning the next two points in impressive style to back-up his break last night.
Polite applause for Djokovic as he is introduced on Philippe Chatrier. It will be interesting to see how crowd reacts to the Serb after his slightly controversial early exit last night.
Djokovic and Thiem are due on court in under 10 minutes. That breeze is a bit stiffer than perhaps first billed, poor Annabel Croft is struggling to keep her hair out of her face on Eurosport. Djokovic has at least decided to get out of his car this morning…
Preamble
For the organisers of the French Open the faster they can get the tournament in the history books and get planning for 2020 the better. A weather-worn two weeks at Roland Garros has exposed some unwanted flaws in scheduling and left tournament director Guy Forget open to some well-earned criticism.
The latest farce sees Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem resume their semi-final battle on Philippe Chatrier at 11am BST – some three hours before Ashleigh Barty takes on Markéta Vondroušová in the women’s final – in a match that could well have been concluded on Friday evening. A premature decision to end play with the sun shining overhead left Thiem up 6-2, 3-6, 3-1, but also at least an hour of good conditions on the clock. The decision to sell separate tickets for the men’s semi-finals has also backfired with refunds given to those who endured the on-off match-up last night.
The good news is that despite a bit of breeze the weather in Paris is forecast to stay clear for today and we could be in for intriguing conclusion to the bonus match this morning. Djokovic, a break down, is on the verge of losing just his second set of the tournament in what is now effectively a three-set contest. Thiem, the most obvious heir apparent to Rafael Nadal on clay, hopes to secure a shot of avenging last year’s defeat to the Spaniard and deny Djokovic a return to the French Open for the first time since 2016.
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