Mutua Madrid Open 2019: Novak Djokovic Passes Dominic Thiem Test To Reach The Finals

Novak Djokovic defeated the 2018 Madrid Open runner up, Dominic Thiem 7-6, 7-6 to reach the Mutua Madrid Open 2019 finals. He will meet the winner of Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas match in the finals of the Mutua Madrid Open 2019.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic headed to the match as an underdog as the Austrian is considered to be the next big thing on clay court after Rafael Nadal. Djokovic had the advantage of having an extra day off as his opponent, Marin Cilic pulled out of the quarterfinals match at the Mutua Madrid Open 2019. The Serb has not been at the best of his form in this season as he has not won any title since the Australian Open 2019. But the two-time Madrid Open champion looks in good form as he hasn’t dropped a set this week.

The fifth seed Dominic Thiem came into the match after a thrilling three-set victory over Roger Federer in the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrid Open 2019. Thiem saved two match points to come back into the match and reach his third Madrid Open semifinals. The 25-year-old has reached the finals of the Mutua Madrid Open in the last two season. He knew what it takes to reach the last stage of this event.

Novak Djokovic had a superior head-to-head 5-2 against Dominic Thiem. But Thiem had won their past two matches, both the victories coming on clay.

Djokovic looked on track from the first set itself. The Serb was broken in his second service game. But Djokovic sent a signal to the Austrian that it would not be an easy match for him as he broke back in the sixth game. Both the players held their serve till the tiebreaker. Djokovic was in full control in the tiebreaker as he won the tiebreaker 7-2.

In the second set, Dominic Thiem broke Djokovic’s serve in the sixth game. But Djokovic broke back in the very next game. Both the players held their serve till 5-5. But they exchanged breaks again to take the second set to the tiebreaker again. The Austrian played a better tiebreaker than the previous one but couldn’t win conquer it and lost the tiebreaker 7-4.

Dominic Thiem looked tired after the match against Roger Federer. The Austrian lost this match mainly because he could not capitalize on the opportunities to break Djokovic’s serve. He lost 7 break points in the second set on Djokovic serve. With this victory, Djokovic increases his head-to-head record against Thiem to 6-2. This was also his first clay court win over the World No. 5.