By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, May 11, 2019
Novak Djokovic came back from a break down in both sets edging Dominic Thiem, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4), to charge into his third Mutua Madrid Open final.
Photo credit: @MutuaMadridOpen
Madrid’s Magic Box loomed as metallic pressure cooker for Novak Djokovic.
The world No. 1 opened the week confronting the cloud of controversy over ATP board member Justin Gimelstob’s scandal and today faced red-hot Barcelona champion Dominic Thiem riding an eight-match winning streak.
Watch: Djokovic's Stunning Defense
Staring down the stress test, Djokovic elevated his energy, emotion and execution at crunch time squeezing out a 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4) triumph over Thiem to reach the Mutua Madrid Open final for the third time.
Clarity and clean strikes empowered Djokovic, who came back from a break down in both sets to charge into his 107th career final.
Djokovic denied seven of 10 break points in a dramatic two hour, 22-minute victory that vaulted him into his first final since he swept Rafael Nadal to claim his 15th career Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.
The 25-year-old Thiem, who saved two match points edging Roger Federer in a pulsating quarterfinal yesterday, had won his last two matches against Djokovic and earned seven more break points than the Serbian today but was outplayed in both breakers.
Aiming to claim his 33rd Masters championship and equal Nadal’s all-time record, Djokovic will face either Nadal or eighth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in tomorrow’s final.
Contesting his third straight Madrid semifinal, Thiem came out pummeling his groundstrokes winning 12 of 16 points in snatching the first break and building a 3-1 first-set lead.
As the set progressed, Djokovic dialed up his game breaking back in the sixth game then staving off break points holding for 5-4.
Each time Djokovic needed to lift his level today he was up to the task.
Answering an audacious flying backhand overhead from the Austrian, Djokovic slid into a stretched flicked reply to extend the point, eventually drawing an error he punctuated with a massive fist-pump for a 4-1 tie-break lead.
The 31-year-old Serbian followed that stirring sequence seizing his third mini break before closing out the breaker.
Turning his hips and shoulders into his steep swings, Thiem was blasting heavy ground strokes as the second set intensified.
The sixth game escalated into an 11-minute struggle with Thiem twice pushing the Australian Open champion to break points and Djokovic withstanding the pressure.
When Djokovic sailed a shot it brought a third break point. In a physical 18-shot rally growing with grunts and angle, Thiem spun a sharper-angled forehand drawing a shorter reply than tomahawked a forehand winner breaking for 4-2.
The fifth-seeded Austrian was jolted by Djokovic’s return game trying to confirm the break.
Length and an elastic ability to control the racket head on the stretch are Djokovic assets.
The top seed showed both— and the skill to hit damaging returns while extended—ripping a pair of forehand returns to break right back for 3-4.
The man who celebrated his 250th week as world No. 1 this week elevated his play on pivotal points today.
Pressuring serve in the 11th game, Djokovic fought off a heavy kick serve with a short-angled backhand return. Thiem lined up his one-hander but lashed it into the net as Djokovic broke for 6-5.
Serving for his 48th Masters final, Djokovic ran into triple-break point turbulence.
A jittery Djokovic spit up a double fault gifting back the break with his sloppiest game of the match setting up the second tie breaker.
Deadlocked at 3-all, Djokovic streaked forward bumping a backhand volley behind the sliding Austrian. A Thiem double fault followed by an acute-angled forehand gave Djokovic match points.
When Thiem shanked a backhand, Djokovic was through to his third Madrid final.