Thiem dispatches exhausted Zverev
CLINICAL: AUSTRIAN STROLLS INTO THIRD STRAIGHT SEMI
Dominic Thiem reached his third successive French Open semifinal yesterday with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 demolition of a hobbled and exhausted Alexander Zverev.
In the women’s draw, American 13th seed Madison Keys proved too strong for Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva as she reached the semifinals for the first time.
The 23-year-old, who lost to compatriot and good friend Sloane Stephens in last year’s US Open final, could next face a repeat of that match at Flushing Meadows after a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 victory over world No 98 Putintseva.
German second seed Zverev simply ran out of gas, paying a heavy price for needing three successive five-set matches to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
His Roland Garros marathon also left him physically drained – he needed his left thigh strapped in the second set.
“He is one of the fittest guys on the tour so it was difficult for him today,” said Thiem, the only man to have defeated 10-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal on clay this year.
“I hope we have many more matches at the Grand Slams but when we are 100%.
“It’s great to reach the semifinals for a third year, but it’s time to take another step and I will do everything for that.”
“I really just had to focus because Yulia was playing so well, I knew I just had to make a few more balls,” said Keys, who is yet to drop a set in the tournament so far.
Putintseva made the first significant move with a break in the seventh game, but failed to serve out the set as Keys found her range.
The Kazakh showed great resolve to force a tie-break, though, saving two set points on her own serve.
But the greater power of Keys paid dividends in the breaker, as the American finally took the opener on her fourth set point with her 18th winner.
Putintseva fought hard at the start of the second set, but Keys broke through to take a 4-3 lead with a rasping forehand return before confidently serving her way to the semi-finals.