Schwartzman stuns Thiem in epic 2020 French Open clash

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

The heavy favorite to contest Rafael Nadal for the 2020 French Open title has been eliminated.

In five grueling sets, Diego Schwartzman needed five hours to take down one of the best clay seeded-players in the tournament in Dominic Thiem, 7-6, 5-7, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2.

Schwartzman gained the early edge of the match after grabbing the first set and made it clear that he can handle Thiem’s top-spin power and defend the baseline well.

The next two sets looked like a Thiem clinic after getting back to his top form, dominating his volley shots and moving into the net faster than the previous set.

Austria’s tennis star looked to continue his momentum in the proceeding sets but the Argentinean underdog had his own plans.

Schwartzman decided to swing toe-to-toe against Thiem in the baseline and succeeded numerous times, proving he was the more consistent player in the groundstroke area.

In the last set, Thiem found himself in deep trouble after committing a couple of unforced errors while serving the ball that gave Schwartzman an added boost during the final minutes of the match.

With the impressive upset, Schwartzman is set to face the best clay player of all time, Rafael Nadal.