SEVEN YEARS LATER, THIEM INVOKES U.S. OPEN MEMORIES OF GULBIS BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 1st September 2014

SEVEN YEARS LATER, THIEM INVOKES U.S. OPEN MEMORIES OF GULBIS BY RICKY DIMON

epa04378700 Dominic Thiem of Austria serves to Feliciano Lopez of Spain during the seventh day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/JUSTIN LANE |

The similarities are very real.

Ernests Gulbis of Latvia hits a return to Dominic Thiem of Austria during the fifth day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 29 August 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/PETER FOLEY

In 2007, an 18-turning-19 Ernests Gulbis was playing in his first U.S. Open. In the third round, a day-session match against veteran Spaniard Tommy Robredo was pushed into the night. It was worth the wait for Gulbis, who destroyed the world No. 8 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 29 minutes. For the first time in his career, the Latvian was through to the fourth round of a Grand Slam.

Fast forward seven years and 20-year-old Dominic Thiem, who happens to be Gulbis’ best friend on tour, found himself in almost the exact same situation: in the third round of his first U.S. Open playing against a veteran Spaniard in a night match on the Grandstand that was supposed to be during the day.

Ironically, it had been a comeback from two sets down two days earlier against none other than Gulbis that gave Thiem the aforementioned opportunity. And the talented Austrian did not waste it. Like his friend seven years earlier, Thiem erased his favored Spanish opponent 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 49 minutes to earn a place in the fourth round of a major for the first time in his career.

“Fourth round,” Thiem updated on Facebook afterward. “First second week of a slam in my first year on tour. I had answers to everything in his game today. I what surprised how good I could handle his slice. (I) hit some really good passing shots. And returned mega. At the moment I’m just mega proud.”

In his press conference he added, “It’s my first-ever U.S. Open. It’s a special tournament–all the night matches–and I’m very happy to reach the round of 16 here for the first time.”

Dominic Thiem of Austria hits a return to Feliciano Lopez of Spain during the seventh day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

Next up for Thiem is Tomas Berdych, as the youngster looks to go one step further than Gulbis did in 2007. Gulbis pushed Carlos Moya in his next match of his breakout tournament but fell two sets short of the quarterfinals.

“These days is more common you going to play a guy you (have) never [played] before,” Berdych said of Thiem. “Younger guys coming up, there is much more of them than I would say in the past two, three years when the time was pretty calm and we were playing just really all against each other but not any new faces. But the time is a bit different. I mean, it’s nice to play him. [He’s] a young kid. It’s a good challenge [for] me.

“Just now I was standing in front of the TV watching the match (Thiem vs. Lopez) seeing how he [plays], he’s really playing well. You can see [he’s] a young kid coming up, just showing how he [plays] without any nerves, any I would say extra pressure, any feeling. He just [goes] for it. That’s how it is. That’s how it should be.”

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Dominic Thiem, Ernests Gulbis, Ricky Dimon, Tennis, Tomas Berdych, US Open

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10sBalls_com says:

September 1, 2014 at 9:02 am

SEVEN YEARS LATER, @ThiemDomi INVOKES @usopen MEMORIES OF #GULBIS BY @RD_Tennistalk- http://t.co/uziaaOiyk6 @egulbisfans #usopen #tennis