By Chris Oddo | Thursday January 18, 2018
Dominic Thiem completed a comeback from two sets down to reach the third round of the Australian Open on a blistering hot Day 4 in Melbourne.
Photo Source: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Being two sets down in stifling heat in the first week of a major is no place to be for a No.5 seed with high hope of making a run at the Australian Open, but Dominic Thiem embraced the situation and rallied back from the brink to down American Denis Kudla, 6-7 (6-8) 3-6 6-2 6-2 6-3 on Margaret Court Arena on Thursday.
More: Muguruza Stunned by Hsieh
"Of course it's very tough," Thiem said. "Not easy mentally, but, yeah, from that moment on I was a break up in the third set, the mind was again positive. Also in the first two sets it was close sets. I think I had my chances in both sets, so I always knew that if I play well and if I keep it up that I could turn it around."
Thiem moves on to face Adrian Mannarino of France in the third round.
"It's awesome. It's only the second time in my career I've come back from two sets down and especially in this very hot weather it was tough," Thiem said. "We practised all year long to play in these conditions and it's the first Slam, it's very early in the season, so we are at our freshest now.”
24-year-old Thiem improves to 8-4 lifetime at the Australian Open and he has now reached the third round in each of the last three years at Melbourne. He owns a 3-3 lifetime record in five-setters at the majors.