RICKY DIMON REPORTS ON THIEM OFF TO WINNING START AT “UNBELIEVABLY STRONG” ROTTERDAM EVENT

Written by: Staff on 9th February 2015

RICKY DIMON REPORTS ON THIEM OFF TO WINNING START AT "UNBELIEVABLY STRONG" ROTTERDAM EVENT

epa04381497 Dominic Thiem of Austria hits a return to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic on the ninth day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 02 September 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT |

The ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament features an incredible draw, especially by 500-point standards. Dominic Thiem, however, got a favorable one for his first-round contest.

The 21-year-old Austrian had to go up against good friend Ernests Gulbis right away in Rotterdam, but this is an out-of-sorts Gulbis–not the one who reached the semifinals of the 2014 French Open. And Thiem took advantage, rolling over the Latvian 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and nine minutes.

Thiem struck 18 winners and committed a mere eight unforced errors. He broke serve three times and saved the only break point he faced.

“I returned very well,” the world No. 47 commented. “That’s where I think I really improved from last year. All in all, I think it was a very good performance today. Not much went wrong. I really like this court, the stadium. Some courts and some stadiums are really special where you feel comfortable. You don’t know why, but here it is like this.

“Not only my half is great,” Thiem said of the draw, “the tournament is unbelievably strong. When I saw the entry list, I was like, ‘What? Three semifinalists of the Australian Open!’ I’m happy I won the first round, so I hope I can continue.”

He is joined in the second round by Grigor Dimitrov, Simone Bolelli, Gilles Muller, and Roberto Bautista Agut.

On the west side of the pond in Memphis, meanwhile, among those who advanced to the last 16 were Donald Young, Dustin Brown, Ivan Dodig, and Jared Donaldson. Young converted all four of his break-point chances to upset No. 8 seed Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 7-6(9) in one hour and 30 minutes.

Donald Young of the US hits a return shot to Adrian Mannarino of France in their first round Memphis Open tennis match at the Racquet Club of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, 09 February 2015. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

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

Topics: Abn Amro World Tennis Tournament, Atp, Dominic Thiem, Donald Young, Memphis Open, Ricky Dimon, Rotterdam, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

February 9, 2015 at 9:14 pm

-@Dimonator REPORTS ON @ThiemDomi OFF TO WINNING START AT “UNBELIEVABLY STRONG” #ROTTERDAM EVENT- http://t.co/WpNpg1PieA #tennis #abnamrowtt