THIEM AIMS FOR THE HOME TITLE IN KITZBUHEL, BUT MUST STOP GOFFIN WINNING STREAK BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 1st August 2014

THIEM AIMS FOR THE HOME TITLE IN KITZBUHEL, BUT MUST STOP GOFFIN WINNING STREAK BY RICKY DIMON

epa04337518 Dominic Thiem of Austria reacts during his quarter final match against Marcel Granollers of Spain at the ATP tennis tournament in Kitzbuehel, Austria, 01 August 2014. EPA/EXPA/JFK |

Something will have to give on Saturday when Dominic Thiem and David Goffin vie for the bet-at-home Cup title. Thiem is playing at home and on what is becoming his favorite surface. Goffin, however, has won an incredible 19 matches in a row since Wimbledon.

Thiem and Goffin will be squaring off for the third time in their careers and for the third time this season on Sunday in Kitzbuhel. Goffin leads the head-to-head series 2-0 thanks to a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(1) qualifying win on the hard courts of Acapulco and a more routine 6-4, 6-2 victory on the grass of Queen’s Club.

The ATP World Tour is currently witnessing an epic hot streak from Goffin; certainly the hottest of his career. His 19 consecutive wins include taking 38 of 39 sets since losing to Andy Murray in the Wimbledon first round. The 78th-ranked Belgian captured three straight Challenger titles and so far in Kitzbuhel he has taken out Kenny De Schepper, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Paolo Lorenzi, and Maximo Gonzalez. Goffin’s set streak was snapped at 36 by Gonzalez on Friday, but the 23-year-old rebounded to prevail 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

“I didn’t expect to be in the final this week,” Goffin admitted. “Nineteen victories in a row is unbelievable. After the third Challenger in Tampere I was a little bit tired, but I played with confidence. I came here not knowing how I would be physically. But this week I have played well.”

“David has plenty of confidence,” Thiem said. “He’s been playing unbelievably well during the last few weeks.”

Dominic Thiem of Austria returns the ball to Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic during their second round match at the ATP tennis tournament in Kitzbuehel, Austria, 31 July 2014. EPA/EXPA/JFK

Thiem cooled off on grass, but–like Goffin–he is on fire on the slow stuff. This week’s No. 5 seed and home favorite has earned 17 of his 23 career ATP-level match wins this season and 12 of those 17 have come on clay. He reached the round of 16 in both Barcelona and Madrid as a qualifier. Interestingly, Thiem is 17-1 in qualifying matches this year–with his one and only loss coming to Goffin. The 50th-ranked Austrian punched his ticket into the Kitzbuhel quarterfinals by defeating Joao Souza, Jiri Vesely, Marcel Granollers, and Juan Monaco.

“I lost my first Futures final as well as my first Challenger final,” Thiem commented. “I hope that this [trend] will end tomorrow here in Kitzbuhel.”

Topics: Atp, David Goffin, Dominic Thiem, Kitzbühel, Ricky Dimon, Tennis, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

August 1, 2014 at 4:30 pm

@ThiemDomi AIMS FOR THE HOME TITLE IN #KITZBUHEL, BUT MUST STOP @David__Goffin WINNING STREAK BY @RD_Tennistalk- http://t.co/AqYgcK9Nxd #ATP
RD_Tennistalk says:

August 1, 2014 at 4:37 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: @ThiemDomi AIMS FOR THE HOME TITLE IN #KITZBUHEL, BUT MUST STOP @David__Goffin WINNING STREAK BY @RD_Tennistalk- http://t…