Monday’s afternoon session pits Roland Garros semi-finalist Dominic Thiem against Australian Open semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov in an exciting battle of one-handed backhands and all-court tennis.
The duo arrives in London having split their FedEx ATP Head2Head at one match apiece this season, with Dimitrov triumphing over Thiem in Sydney weeks before his semi-final appearance in Melbourne and Thiem notching the win at the Mutua Madrid Open prior to his own Grand Slam semi-final on the terre battue of Paris. Overall, Thiem owns a 2-1 record over his Bulgarian opponent, with their 2016 meeting going his way at the ATP 500 event in Acapulco.
Both players hit with panache custom-tailored to their favourite services. Thiem’s vicious topspin forehand rips through his beloved clay courts, while he hits his drive backhand with laser-like, point-ending precision. On the other hand, Dimitrov’s elegant and versatile backhand, authoritative forehand and smooth touch at the net aligns with the demands of grass-court tennis.
On the hard courts of London’s O2 arena, their comparative yet contrasting flare makes for a compelling matchup.
Thiem 'Fresh And Ready' For Familiar Faces At Finals
Thiem, surged during the 2017 clay court season, besting Nadal at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and defending champion Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros. Despite a few tight losses during the remainder of an otherwise consistent season, Thiem heads into his second Nitto ATP Finals feeling confident in his game.
“There were a lot of new and bigger pressures for me last year, to somehow qualify as the last player and be in this tournament with all the big stars – it was something completely new for me,” said the 23 year old. “It’s very different this year, I qualified as the fourth player so I’m not the last one anymore. It feels better, that I can enjoy it this year and hope I can play [even better] than I did last year.”
On Dimitrov, Thiem was optimistic: “I’m looking forward to open the tournament against him. We had two very, very good matches this year and hopefully it’s going to be a third one on Monday.”
Dimitrov: 'I Can't Hide My Smile'
Dimitrov’s season has parallels with Thiem’s: after blitzing through one section of the season (he compiled a 16-1 record in the first two months of 2017 with two titles in tow) he had a slight lull in results, before confidently claiming his first ATP Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati.
Arriving in London for the first time, Dimitrov is welcoming the new experience with open arms and looks forward to his tournament debut against Dominic Thiem.
“I’m pretty pleased to be out here,” said Dimitrov. “For sure it's a dream come true for me. In the past I've missed qualifying by one spot. It's always been a goal of mine to come out here and perform.
“I’ve played a few times already with Dominic this year. He’s one of the best players, to be here obviously you’ve done something right,” he added. “I’m actually looking forward to that match. It’s so nice to be at the end of the year and be able to have final rounds against the top players; I’m just looking after what’s on my side of the net.”
Monday’s evening session will feature Nadal versus David Goffin to close out Day 2 of the Nitto ATP Finals in London.
View FedEx ATP Head2Head matchup for the Group Pete Sampras matches to be played Monday at the Nitto ATP Finals and vote for who you think will win!
Thiem vs. Dimitrov | Nadal vs. Goffin