Considering his performance in the four-set victory over the world number one Rafael Nadal from Spain in the quarter-finals and also due to a 6: 2 record in a direct duel with Zverev, Thiem has to be reassigned to the favorites role. His German opponent is playing his first major semi-final at the Australian Open. On the way there, the 22-year-old has so far only given one sentence. Serbian defending champion Novak Djokovic is already waiting in the final.
Thiem, on the other hand, already has a five-set game in the second round against the Australian Alex Bolt and a 4:10 hour fight against Nadal in the legs. In addition, there is currently brooding heat. Up to 38 degrees Celsius were measured in Melbourne on Thursday. Recovery was therefore a priority. “Sure, I was tired after the match yesterday, but it is important that I have been physically active for an hour because the tension has to stay upright,” said Thiem after an hour of training.
Thiem has not yet reached the goal
The joy of his first semi-finals in Australia has now faded into the background, the focus is on the next step. “It’s a great story, but in the end I’m still in the middle of the tournament. It is now the decisive phase, ”said Thiem, who will at least be fourth again on Monday. “It was an incredibly nice success and I have reached another milestone. But hopefully it was a milestone and it continues fully. If I want to have a chance, I have to be fully there right from the start, ”said the 26-year-old.
Thiem coach Nicolas Massu is happy about the stage wins so far. The long preparation in Australia has paid off. “We have been in Australia for a few weeks now and arrived on the Gold Coast on December 20,” recalls the Chilean. “We are happy that the results are so good. Yesterday was a really good match, a great fight. ”Now it was time to regenerate as much as possible, to train some details with regard to Zverev. His impression of Thiem after more than a week and a half of the tournament: “He looks great, is very fit and full of confidence.”
Thiem with confidence in the semi-finals
Dominic Thiem was confident before the semifinals in Melbourne. Opponent Alexander Zverev reached a major semi-final for the first time.
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Details decide in the friends duel
Thiem has a friendly relationship with Zverev. So after the third round he posted a selfie with the German after an ice bath for regeneration. “We have a good relationship, he’s a nice guy. We actually came up at the same time, ”said Thiem, referring to the similar course of previous careers.
According to Thiem, it will be “small details” that will count against the Germans. “All four players, who are still represented in the grid, absolutely deserve it and play great tennis,” said the Lower Austrian. He had not seen Zverev’s match against Stan Wawrinka. “But he seems to be in top shape again. He serves incredibly well, so I’m going to try to defuse his serve as much as possible. ”
Another recipe will be to involve Zverev in longer rallies. After all, even in the quarter-final against Nadal, Thiem had a clear lead with 65:48 points in longer rallies over five strokes and more. Austria’s number one is looking forward to the ninth duel with Zverev: “We have played a few big matches and hopefully another one will be added,” said the Lower Austrian.
Zverev in good shape in time
According to Zverev, he goes to the semi-finals without pressure. “This year I came to the Australian Open with absolutely no expectations because I played so terribly,” said the 22-year-old from Hamburg, the first German semi-finalist in Melbourne since Tommy Haas in 2007. “Maybe that’s the springboard, maybe should it happened that way. ”The last German finalist was Rainer Schüttler in 2003, the last German triumph at the Australian Open was in 1996 by Boris Becker.
Before the tournament, Zverev had only a few on the bill. This was also reflected in the media interest. When he had aroused little interest in the traditional media day due to weak ideas in advance, he had only answered questions in a small press room. When asked about his expectations, he said: “Let’s see. Maybe we’ll sit here in two weeks and have an interview after my semifinals, and I’m in the final. That can also be so. “
In advance, Zverev caused a sensation with his announcement that he would donate 10,000 Australian dollars for each victory and, in the case of his title, the winner’s check to the victims of the devastating bush fires in Australia. If it goes to Thiem, who says he has not yet thought of anything in this direction, the prize money for the semi-final move-in will remain the last one that his German “buddy” donates.
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