ATP Finals 2020: Thiem Prime, That Was It: The Incredible Semi-Final Against Djokovic!

In 2020, Dominic Thiem touched perfection. Facing Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the ATP Finals, the Austrian delivered one of the greatest tie-breaks of his career. A look back at this moment when Thiem reached the peak of his art.

London, November 21, 2020. The O2 Arena is empty, but the tension is intense. Djokovic, the world number one, faces Dominic Thiem, the US Open champion from a few weeks earlier.

Thiem takes the first set (7-5), aggressive, relentless with his down-the-line backhand. Djokovic then replies in the second (7-6) after a memorable tie-break (12-10) and four saved match points. The third set thus promises to be a mental tug-of-war.

But at 4-0, victory seems destined for Djokovic, before Thiem strings together six points in a row and wins the match after converting a sixth match point (7-5 in the decisive game).

Finally, after 2 hours and 54 minutes of battle and a final score of 7-5, 6-7, 7-6, Thiem reaches his second consecutive final. But unfortunately, as against Tsitsipas the previous year (6-7, 6-2, 7-6), the Austrian loses in three sets (4-6, 7-6, 6-4).