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Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem insisted he knew that Marton Fucsovics would not be an easy opponent after scraping past the Hungarian at the Rome Masters. Thiem, ranked at No. 4 in the world, was on the verge of losing to Fucsovics at the Rome Masters but he managed to win 3-6 7-6 (5) 6-0.
Thiem broke back Fucsovics in the sixth game to level the set at three games apiece but then lost his serve in back-to-back games as the Hungarian won the opener. Thiem was also down by a break in the second set but he recovered to force a tie-break and eventually the third set.
After winning a tight second set, Thiem dominated Fucsovics in the decider to survive a tough Rome opener. “It was such a close match, especially in the second set,” said Thiem, per the ATP website. “I knew he’d be a super-tough opponent, particularly coming from different conditions in Madrid.
I was fighting all the match and stayed in there. At the end, I got the reward for fighting. I had difficulties with my timing and my serve. I have to hurt my opponent more with my shots. I still won a great match and I will try to improve for tomorrow”.
Thiem was facing a loss
After winning the 10th point of the second set tie-break to level the tie-break at five points apiece, Thiem absolutely dominated the rest of the match. “In that exact moment, I was just focused to win the next point,” said Thiem, when asked about the 4/5 point in the tie-break.
“I was down all the time. I lost then first set and then [in the] second [set] I was a break down. [In the] tie-break, I was 4/5 down. So until that point, 5/5, I was down all the match. “So I told myself, ‘Well, this is the chance now to go up for the first time in the whole match.
It's also, if I win the point, it's a chance to win the set’. That's what went through my mind. Luckily I took it”.