US Open champion Thiem, who competes in his first tournament since Dubai in March, meets Andrey Rublev or John Isner in the last eight.
Dominic Thiem in action against Alex De Minaur. AFP
Dominic Thiem qualified for the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open on Thursday after defeating Australian Alex de Minaur 7: 6 (9: 7) and 6: 4.
US Open Champion Thiem, who competes in his first tournament since Dubai in March, meets Andrey Rublev or John Isner in the last eight.
Thiem lost his serve in the opening game, but recovered with a break for 3-All. He missed a set point in the tie-break and saved one before taking the first set on the second attempt.
The Austrian third lasted three breakpoints at the start of the second set and broke De Minaur in the following game.
De Minaur, number 24 in the world, returned to the level 3-0, but fell out of the next game immediately when Thiem secured victory in just under two hours.
Alexander Bublik from Kazakhstan reached also the quarter-finals with a 6: 4: 6: 3 victory against the formidable Russian Aslan Karatsev.
Changed date:
May 06, 2021 6:03:34 pm IST
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It’s another setback for the Ontario 20-year-old who pulled out of the Miami Open final against Ashleigh Barty last month with a right foot injury.
Nadal is the top seed in Madrid and will play either compatriot Carlos Alcaraz or Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the first round, while his last four games against Dominic Thiem, a finalist at the French Open in 2018 and 2019 will compete.
A message from the tournament’s official Twitter account read: « Novak Djokovic will not play at the Mutua Madrid Open. » I’m sorry that I can’t go to Madrid this year and meet all of my fans, « said Djokovic. I’m two years old, quite a long time. I hope to see you all next year! ‘ »
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Ref: https://www.firstpost.com
