For an unprecedented Grand Slam final
This closed-door US Open final will crown an unprecedented winner for the first time since 2014 in a Grand Slam (Cilic's victory at the US Open).
In the absence of the two living legends (Nadal and Federer) and with the incredible disqualification of the immense favorite Novak Djokovic in the round of 16, the door has (finally) opened for the underdogs.
This US Open will therefore escape the Big Three (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic) who had won the last thirteen Majors since the coronation of Wawrinka in New York in 2016.
For the indecision that surrounds this final
On paper Thiem is unquestionably the favorite.
Three-time Grand Slam finalists, beaten by Nadal at Roland Garros 2018 and 2019 and by Djokovic at the 2020 Australian Open, he has the experience for him against Zverev, a novice at this level.
The Austrian leads 7-2 in his confrontations with the German.
The latter has never beaten his opponent in Grand Slam (3-0).
Zverev also struggled to reach the final (5:16 pm on the courts against 1:38 pm for Thiem).
The freshness advantage is for the Austrian.
But during his semi-final won against Medvedev on Friday, the third player in the world hurt his right foot.
This foot questions and could change the game of this final if Thiem is not 100% physically ...
For two of the most beautiful setbacks on the circuit
“My one-handed backhand brings more variety.
But my best shots are the serve and the forehand.
"The Austrian confided in vain to the Figaro in 2018 that the forehand remains his strong point, his very elegant one-handed backhand, made of variations of effects, power and angles, stands out as a model of its kind. .
That of Zverev, more “classic” with two hands, is perhaps less aesthetic, but it is indeed one of the formidable weapons of the German.
So that Thiem definitely confirms he's a real tough guy
Long cataloged as a formidable clay player a little limited as soon as he moved away from his beloved ocher, the current 3rd in the world has also become a real tough guy.
This regular in the last four at Roland Garros, since 2016, had never yet reached the quarter-finals elsewhere in the Grand Slam before the Australian Open last January (beaten in the final in five sets by Djokovic).
It is also on this hard surface that he won his first Masters 1000, in March 2019 in Indian Wells (against Federer).
Nicknamed "Dominator" because of his heavy hitting and his "lumberjack" style of play, Thiem has broadened his palette and has become a more complete player under the leadership of his new coach Nicolas Massu, former world 9th in 2004, progressing particularly in the exercise of return of service.
So that Zverev definitely removes the doubts about his potential
Announced for several years as the future world number one, Alexander Zverev, only 22 years old and already a Masters (2018) and three Masters 1000 on the clock, having beaten Federer or Djokovic in the final, had until 2020 displayed limits in Grand Slam where he had never passed the quarter-finals stage.
Semi-finalist at the Australian Open at the start of the year, beaten… by Thiem, Zverev seems to have taken a mental and physical course.
During this US Open, he didn't necessarily play great tennis, but he showed a lot of character.
Like his semi-final against Carreno-Busta.
Led 2 sets 0 by the Spaniard, the 7th player in the world won in five sets.
He had never recovered a handicap of two sets in his career.
Against the Thiem wall, Zverev will nevertheless have to be more consistent to enter the big leagues.
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US Open: Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev to face each other in the final
