Monday 23 January 2017

Goffin outlasts Thiem

Dominic Thiem, the  Austrian 8th seed was fighting for a quarter final spot against 11th seed David Goffin from Belgium.
Third round wins were over Benoit Paire in four sets for Thiem, and 20th seed Ivo Karlovic in straight sets for Goffin.

The first game saw Goffin hold serve then he and Thiem traded breaks before things settled at 2-2.
Goffin was taken to deuce in the fifth game three times before Thiem attacked the net, drawing an error and creating a break point.  His wide forehand brought it back to deuce but a forehand winner gave him another chance. A Goffin backhand floating long confirmed the break and Thiem led 3-2.

Goffin broke back when a Thiem shot missed the court and it was 3-3.
A Belgian backhand winner for 15-0. A great lob from Thiem produced an error and 30-15.  Another backhand winner from Goffin gave him game point and he clinched it for 4-3.

A Thiem ace took him to 40-30 and another to 4-4.

Three Thiem forehands not finding the court handed Goffin a 40-0 edge and he strolled to a 5-4 lead.  
40-0 in a flash for Thiem and another effective serve was enough to level at 5-5.

Goffin found the net twice and in between misfired a forehand to face two break points.  Hitting the net again, the break came and Thiem was serving for the set at 6-5.

15-0 after a long forehand from Goffin.  An ace and an errant return meant three set points.  One was all Thiem needed as the off forehand crosscourt winner secured him set one 7-5.

No trouble on serve for the first three games of set two, and Goffin led 2-1, appearing to have come to terms with the disappointment of losing the first set.  A love game from Thiem and 2-2.

A delicate 30-30 was solved with 2 Goffin aces and he led again 3-2.
30-30 on the Thiem serve too, following a double fault and unforced forehand error, but that was not an issue as Goffin put in backhand rubbish to guarantee the service hold.

4-5 soon and Thiem to serve and stay in set contention, as he had to do in set one.
A Thiem shot wide of the mark gave Goffin first point.  At 0-30 work to do.  Another mistake and three set points.  One saved.  Another with a big serve.  An ace and it was deuce.  A fourth break point as Thiem hit the net. Also saved. Finally 5-5 with a rifled forehand down the line.

Goffin pushed a forehand wide and 0-15.  15-30 with a netted volley.  Second serve ace for 30-30. Complete mishit by Goffin and deuce.  Game point saved with Thiem volley winner.  Finally serve held and Goffin led 6-5.

Thiem in trouble at 15-30. Forehand winner and 30-30.  Safely through to tiebreak.
Goffin began the tiebreak brilliantly 3-0, taking points of both of Thiem's first two serves. One was dragged back and 4-2 at change of ends.  Goffin knocked one into the net and it was level at 4-4.  The final three points to Goffin and a set all.

In the fifth game of set three, Thiem was down 15-40 but saved the two break points.  He also saved a third with an ace but a double fault followed and he could not solve the problem this created.  Goffin broke serve to lead 3-2.

The consolidation occurred and the Belgian appeared well placed to take a two sets to one advantage in a few games time.  4-2.
Gunning for a double break, Goffin succeeded on his third break point, set up with a winning backhand, and converted thanks to a not so wonderful forehand from Thiem.
5-2 and serving for the set.

From 0-30 Goffin fought back to 30-30 then saved a break point. At deuce,  Thiem hit a forehand out of court, and on the set point he hit a backhand into the net.
Goffin led 5-7 7-6 6-2.

Goffin took a stranglehold on the match by breaking Thiem in the third game of set four.  He raced to 40-0 in the next and a backhand winner down the line carried him to 3-1.
A less than satisfactory Austrian backhand followed by a Belgian winner angered Thiem enough to produce his best two shots for awhile for winners and he had game point.  Double fault extinguished that.  And he buried another opportunity with poor execution.  A third chance was grabbed with an ace.  Thiem trailed 2-3.

Goffin was in no mood for waiting around and served a love game, extending the advantage to 4-2.  And when he put one down the line past Thiem he had 0-30 on the Austrian serve.  Three break points were available after another Austrian error.  A similar mistake handed Goffin a 5-2 lead and following the sit down and change of ends, the Belgian would serve for a quarter final spot.

40-0 and three match points.  One gone with a wild forehand.  The next was enough as Thiem netted a return.

Goffin into the quarter final 5-7 7-6 6-2 6-2

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