US Open 2020: Dominic Thiem vs Sumit Nagal preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Dominic Thiem vs Sumit Nagal
Date: 3 September 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 1.30 pm EDT, 11 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports & Hotstar
Dominic Thiem vs Sumit Nagal preview
Second seed Dominic Thiem looks to further his push for a maiden Grand Slam title as he faces off against India's No. 1 Sumit Nagal in the US Open second round on Thursday.
After a plethora of exhibition matches between May and July, Thiem came into the American hardcourt season looking to go one better than his runner-up finish at the Australian Open. But the 26-year-old quickly bowed out to Filip Krajinovic 1-6 2-6 at the Cincinnati Masters in New York - a poor result that the player claimed he had 'no excuses' for.
Thiem's US Open campaign, however, got off to a winning start as his first round opponent Jaume Munar retired due to injury with the Austrian 7-6, 6-3 up. Thiem looked more comfortable while hitting his groundstrokes on the day, but was seemingly still adapting to the quick hardcourts that he has struggled on in the past.
The Austrian now takes on World No. 24 Sumit Nagal, who himself has been in some solid form. Nagal defeated Bradley Klahn 6-1, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, which made him the first Indian player to win a men's singles match at the US Open in seven years.
Nagal was largely inactive during the lockdown period as he trained at his academy in Germany. Just before the US Open he reached the semifinals at the claycourt Challenger event in Prague, where he lost to Stan Wawrinka in three sets.
This is Nagal's second appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam, following his first round defeat to Roger Federer at US Open 2019.
Dominic Thiem vs Sumit Nagal head-to-head
This is the first match between Dominic Thiem and Sumit Nagal on the ATP Tour, so the head-to-head between the two players currently stands at 0-0.
Dominic Thiem vs Sumit Nagal prediction
Given their respective rankings and previous history on the tour, Dominic Thiem is the overwhelming favorite in this second round match on Thursday. Nagal, however, would fancy his chances given that Thiem has so far struggled to cope with the pace of the new courts at Flushing Meadows.
The Indian can go toe-to-toe with Thiem from the baseline, especially off his forehand wing which is laden with heavy topspin. Nagal does not, however, have a big serve to challenge Thiem's return, which has been the Indian's Achilles' heel in the recent past.
If Thiem can curb the errors and find the corners of the court from both wings, the power in his groundstrokes and his athletic prowess should be enough to get past Nagal.
Prediction: Dominic Thiem to win in four sets.