Tennis News: Wilander – Dominic Thiem has more weapons, Sascha Zverev needs huge serving performance
Updated 31/01/2020 at 09:33 GMT
Eurosport expert Mats Wilander says that Dominic Thiem is the more all-round player and has increasing confidence in his tactics on hard-courts ahead of Friday’s semi-final against Alexander Zverev.
Thiem beat Rafa Nadal to set up the last-four match against big-serving German Zverev, but Eurosport’s Wilander believes that it is the Austrian who is the better player, saying:
Thiem has more weapons and beating Rafa Nadal in the previous round is going to give him so much confidence.
Victory over Nadal in the quarter-finals was a huge breakthrough for Thiem on hard courts, and Wilander explained to Barbara Schett during Thursday's Game, Schett and Mats how the Austrian adjusted those performances.
“The court speed seems to be perfect for Dominic Thiem these days, whereas two three years ago he was a clay court specialist, he needed the ball to bounce a little higher," Wilander said. "That’s not the case any more, he plays closer to the baseline.
The question is: can Sascha Zverev stay with Thiem from the baseline? I think it’s going to take a great serving performance by Zverev to have a chance, and if he does serve well then Zverev is one of the best players in the world.
So what exactly has helped Thiem make that step up? Wilander believes it is a confidence in his own game-changing ability that is the key.
“I think Thiem seems more mature now. The way he’s playing his tennis, he’s not getting quite as frustrated.
"The way he played Nadal, it looked like from a tactical standpoint he thought he was the better player. He felt the pressure was on him because of the way he was playing the points.
I think he believed he was going to beat Nadal, and he believes he can beat Sascha Zverev.
“I’m not claiming I’m in their head”, Wilander clarified. “It’s a tactical standpoint I’m talking about. But when you’re sitting and watching you can tell.”
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