BIG CHANCE FOR NEARLY BOYS TO RISE AND SHINE
Alexander Zverev
DOMINIC THIEM and Alexander Zverev will bid to step out of the shadows of their glorious contemporaries when they clash in the US Open final in Newyork today. For the first time since Andy Murray’s Wimbledon final win over Milos Raonic in 2016, a combination of health concerns and errant volleys has contrived to serve up a grand slam final shorn of the sport’s big three.
For Thiem, who beat Daniil Medvedev in Friday’s semi-final, it represents a fourth opportunity to scale the final hurdle, having previously come up short against Rafael Nadal (twice) and Novak Djokovic.
And for Zverev, 23, the youngest men’s finalist in a grand slam for a decade, it is chance to make good on overdue expectations and anoint himself the leader of his sport’s new age.
Austrian Thiem insisted he will not feel any additional pressure at starting as the heavy favourite. He said: “I won’t change my mindset at all. From the moment that Novak was out of the tournament, it was clear that there is going to be a new grand slam champion.
“Now it’s just Sascha remaining. He is a hell of player and it doesn’t matter whether it is him or one of the big three.”
The progress of Thiem, the second seed, who has lost just two sets en route to the final, comes in contrast to Zverev, who had to battle from two sets down to beat Pablo
Carreno Busta in their semi-final.
But the German – aiming to become the first male winner for his country at Flushing Meadows since Boris Becker in 1989 – insists the manner of his win over Busta shows he has got what it takes to make that major statement.
Reflecting on his semi-final win, Zverev said: “Mentally I stayed in it. Even though I was two sets down I gave myself the best chance I could. It was a grand slam final at stake and I dug deep.
“Boris won (in 1989) and that is something that I need to achieve.”
SERENA WILLIAMS has pulled out of the
Italian Open starting on Monday with an Achilles strain.
The former world No1’s US Open campaign ended with a defeat to Victoria Azarenka on Thursday, a match in which she took a medical timeout to have her left ankle retaped due to the Achilles problem. She said: “I’m so humbled by the support from my fans in Rome and I look forward to making my return soon.”