Nitto ATP Finals 2019: Novak Djokovic vs Dominic Thiem, preview and prediction
Following a sensational 7-5, 7-5 victory over Roger Federer in his opening round robin contest at the ATP Finals 2019, Dominic Thiem will take on another victor and the title favourite Novak Djokovic in his upcoming match at the O2 Arena in London.
Facing the last entrant of the season-ending finals, the 16-time Grand Slam champion made an easy meal of the Italian Matteo Berretini 6-2, 6-1 in just over an hour on Sunday. The Serb made an authoritative statement to kick-start the tournament in the best possible way as he chases his 6th title at the ATP Finals.
As for Thiem, 2019 has been his career-best season so far despite underperforming at the Slams other than Roland Garros. The 26-year old Austrian has improved by leaps and bounds on non-clay surfaces, winning as many as three titles on hard courts this year.
While Thiem's win at the Indian Wells Masters 1000 earlier this March was remarkable, his wins at Beijing and Vienna in the latter half of the year were equally satisfying as they marked a significant improvement over his previous fall results.
Thiem is making his 4th appearance at the Nitto ATP finals, and has never managed to get past the round-robin stage so far. He would fancy qualifying for the knockouts this year, especially after his morale-boosting win over the Swiss maestro in his opening encounter.
However, in his upcoming contest, the Austrian would be up against his biggest test on hard courts this year as he takes on Djokovic, the most decorated player on hard courts of this generation.
Djokovic leads Thiem 6-3 in the head-to-head, and all his losses against the Austrian have come on clay. Coincidentally, it was the Nitto ATP finals in 2016 when Djokovic and Thiem last met on a hard court, and it was the former who got better of Thiem in three sets.
Since being upset by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-final at Shanghai, the Serb has not dropped a single set. He has won six matches in straight sets, which includes his triumph at the Paris Masters 1000.
Against Berrettini in his opening encounter the Serb was ruthless and relentless, winning 58 points as compared to the Italian’s 30. Following his disappointments at the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open, Djokovic seems to have gathered steam with his title victories at Tokyo and Paris. He would be keen to lay his hands on the year-ending finals trophy once again, especially after he choked against Alexander Zverev in the title clash last year.
Having won their respective opening round robin matches, the upcoming contest between Thiem and Djokovic has assumed the status of a potential quarterfinal as the victor would most likely seal one of the semi-final spots.
After defeating Federer in his last match, Thiem would walk into the match against the Serb with a sense of confidence and belief. If he can replicate his heroics of the French Open, where he defeated Djokovic in a titanic semi-final tussle, Thiem can cause problems aplenty for the 16-time Major champion.
Djokovic is tireless and unyielding, while Thiem is a slow starter who is well-known for gathering pace over the course of a match. It promises to be a thrilling encounter as two different styles of play collide at the O2 Arena.
Can the stubborn Djokovic tame Thiem, or will the belligerent Austrian set the stage on fire with an emphatic win over the five-time champion?
Prediction: Novak Djokovic to win in three sets.