VIDEO | Dominic Thiem creates impossible angle against Djokovic to execute perfect backhand winner at net
One of the major elements a player needs to create a huge upset on the biggest of stages is luck – a day when one’s every shot just clicks perfectly and one has to just think about it. Thiem was riding his lady luck on Saturday against Novak Djokovic and produced one such moment of magic.
No matter how big the match between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer looked on paper, it was the match between Djokovic and Thiem that was expected to go the distance. And the same happened as the match went right to the fifth set after both shared two sets each.
However, it was established right from the start that the prodigious son of clay could pull up an upset given his superiority on that surface over the last few years. Though the World No.1 managed to get two sets to his name, Thiem always looked dangerous at the net and almost always won when came closer.
The incident took place in the deciding set with Djokovic serving and the Austrian had come closer to breaking the Djoker with the game standing at deuce. His biggest weapon against Djokovic has been bringing him to the net before hitting the winners and this was no different. After Thiem stretched to his extreme right to return Djokovic’s serve, he went to the left to execute a good drop shot as Djokovic was called to the net.
But, just when Djokovic thought that he had finally managed to reach at the net to get the volley, Thiem rushed up to his left to create an impossible angle across the Serbian as the ball drop and spun away from Djokovic. Though the Serbian won that game anyway, that shot was surely one for the highlights of the tournament.
