The metrics behind Alexander Zverev’s 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dominic Thiem in the Mutua Madrid Open final on Sunday make you take a deep, hard look at where winning and losing really occurs in a tennis match. It’s in the first two touches. And then daylight. When Zverev and Thiem either struck the ball once, which was a serve and a return, or they added just one more shot each to the rally but no more, that counted for 65 per cent (70/108) of all points. [ALSO LIKE] A maximum of two shots in the court for each player basically equalled two out of every three points in the match. This is where winning and losing really occurs – even...
For the second consecutive year, Dominic Thiem narrowly missed out on winning his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at the Mutua Madrid Open. Thiem, who fell to Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday, lost to Rafael Nadal in the 2017 Madrid final. But the 24-year-old Austrian will leave the Spanish capital with something nearly as important as his first Masters 1000 crown: confidence. Thiem beat two Top 10 players – then-No. 1 Nadal and then-No. 8 Kevin Anderson – in addition to BNP Paribas Open semi-finalist Borna Coric and Argentina's Federico Delbonis to reach his second Madrid final. After quarter-final departures at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (l. to Nadal) and the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell (l. to Tsitsipas),...
Former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic showed signs of improvement last week in Madrid, beating Monte-Carlo runner-up Kei Nishikori in the first round in what was arguably the best win of his comeback from right elbow surgery that kept him out after Wimbledon last year. And while he lost his next match against eventual quarter-finalist Kyle Edmund, the Serbian will look to continue improving at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, where he faces a familiar foe in his opener. The four-time champion will look to get another victory under his belt on Monday against talented Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov in the third match on Court Centrale. Djokovic is well-acquainted with the former World No. 13, who himself is recovering from an injury...
What is the formula to dominate an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event? Just ask Alexander Zverev. Zverev didn't just dominate the 2018 Mutua Madrid Open. The World No. 3 thoroughly annihilated the field en route to his third Masters 1000 crown and first in the Spanish capital. No breaks surrended in 48 service games. Only one break point faced throughout the tournament. And a total of zero sets lost. Zverev put a bow on a perfect week with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Dominic Thiem on Sunday, blasting past his Austrian rival without pause. The 21-year-old admits that while it was a flawless performance in the Caja Mágica, it's one that he expects from himself. "I didn't get broken...
