Dominic Thiem gave men’s tennis its first new Grand Slam champion in six years after a brilliant final lasting for just over four hours on Monday. Thiem staged an unprecedented comeback to seal his maiden Grand Slam title with 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(6), after being down in the first two sets 2-6, 4-6 against Alexander Zverev.
In the final, which was the first US Open final to have gone down to a fifth-set tie-break, Thiem became the first player in the Open Era to rally from two sets down in the finals of US Open.
Dominic Thiem is the first man to come back from two sets down in a US Open singles final in the Open era.
Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/4QkQMF6INM
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 14, 2020
After having lost three Grand Slam finals on the trot previously, twice to Nadal and once to Djokovic, Thiem became the youngest Grand Slam champion, as he joined Thomas Muster as the only Austrians to win a major tennis title.
Thiem took to Twitter to express his happiness after the match on Moday. “It had to be like this – my career was always like the match today – many ups and downs and I love the way it turned out.”, the Austrian champion tweeted.
It had to be like this – my career was always like the match today – many ups and downs and I love the way it turned out. pic.twitter.com/ksFDgIfws8
— Dominic Thiem (@ThiemDomi) September 14, 2020
Like a true champion, Thiem in his victory speech hailed Zverev for his achievements recalling their old friendship and said, “I wish we could have two winners today, we both deserve it.”
This match truly deserved more than one champion and I’m sure that you @AlexZverev will also lift this trophy sometimes soon. Thank you for being a great rival and more so for being a real friend on tour.
— Dominic Thiem (@ThiemDomi) September 14, 2020
Despite his loss, Zverev, 23, achieved a career milestone becoming the youngest men’s finalist in a Grand Slam since Djokovic.
”I want to congratulate Dominic on the first of many Grand Slam titles. I wish you could have missed a little more so I could be holding that trophy up, but here I am giving the runner-up speech,” Zverev said in his post match speech.