Thiem beats World No 1 Djokovic to reach French Open final

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 4 Dominic Thien, Austria, shocked World No 1 and winner of 15 Grand Slam singles titles Novak Djokovic, Serbia, beating him in the semi-finals of French Open on June 8, 2019, dashing his hope of owning all the four Grand Slam titles simultaneously for the second time.

Thiem beat Djokovic in a five-set marathon 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 at Roland Garros, Paris, France , to reach the French Open final for the second successive year even as he committed over 50 unforced errors. Thiem will play World 2 and winner of 17 Grand Slam singles titles Rafael Nadal, Spain, in the final on June 9, 2019.

The match, which started on June 7, 2019, was suspended after three sets due to rain, went to the wire with both the players trading breaks several times. Thiem broke Djokovic’s service 9 times in the match while the latter broke his service 7 times. Djokovic fired 6 Aces in the match to 4 by the Austrian. Both the players committed 4 double faults each in the match. Thiem’s winning percentage both on his first and second serve ( 65 % & 64%) was higher than that of the Serbia (62 % 7 55 %). Both the players won 3 games each in a row. Djokovic though won 104 service points to 94 by Thiem, who had won Indian Wells Masters and Barcelona Open titles in 2019.

Defending champion Nadal, who reached the French Open final beating World No 3 and winner of 20 Grand Slam singles title Roger Federer, Switzrerland, in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the first semi-finals on June 7, 2019,  is bidding for 12th French Open title. He had beaten Thiem in 2018 French Open final.