Thiem edges Medvedev for first US Open final, to play Zverev

Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev

Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev

Dominic Thiem

Dominic Thiem played the tennis of his life on Friday night to book his first US Open final, beating Daniil Medvedev, the hard hitting Russian and last year’s finalist 6-2 7-6(9-7) 7-6(7-5).

Thiem made history as well as the first Austrian to make the US Open singles final.

He will next meet on Sunday, Germany’s Alexander Zverev, the number five seed, who rallied from two sets down, to beat Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 3-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-3.

In his match with Medvedev, Thiem seized the early momentum inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, handily carrying the first set without dropping a single first-serve point.

However, a double fault and a forehand error saw him hand Medvedev the break and the early lead in the second.

The Australian Open runner-up spent the remainder of the frame playing catch up, converting on a critical break to level the score 5-5 before the 24-year-old Russian dragged it into a tiebreak.

The 27-year-old Austrian, who had a trainer examine his ankle before the third set, slipped and fell twice in the match, unfurling a string of frustrated exclamations in the second incident.

But he regained his cool to survive yet another tiebreak to clinch the affair with a power forehand and a roar.

“I played my best tennis then towards the end of the sets,” said Thiem, who is gunning for a maiden Grand Slam title.

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“Both tiebreaks were amazing. Tiebreaks are mentally a tough thing. I don’t like them at all to be honest.

“I’m really happy to be through. It was a great semi-final,” he added.

Zverev: happy to qualify for final

Fifth seed Zverev, in beating Pablo Carreno Busta also qualified for his first Grand Slam final.

The German was on the brink of defeat against the Spanish 20th seed Carreno Busta, but he produced a stunning rally to emerge victorious.

After earning his first win from two-sets-to-love down, Zverev – the youngest major finalist since Novak Djokovic in 2010 – is now hoping to become the first German major champion since Boris Becker in 1996 as he meets Dominic Thiem.

Zverev, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals earlier this year, is also the first German man through to the US Open final at Flushing Meadows since 1994 following three hours, 22 minutes on court.

On Friday, he refused to dwell on his major breakthrough, telling reporters: “I still need to achieve. Sunday is going to be extremely difficult no matter who I play of those guys.

“But I’m looking forward to it. Yeah, I’m in the final of a grand slam. The two best players in the world are going to be playing on court.”

Zverev added: “It’s great. Obviously happy to be in a final. But as I said in the previous question, there’s still one more step to go. For me, I think it’s going to be extremely difficult. Both of those guys deserve to be in the final. That’s it.

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