Dominic Thiem overcame Alexander Zverev 6-4 3-6 6-0 to successfully defend his last year’s title at the Open de Nice Cote d’Azur. Thiem hit five aces and converted six of his eight break point chances but dropped his serve four times.
Zverev brought up four break points early in the first set and converted his fourth chance with a backhand return winner in the sixth game to open up a 4-2 lead. Thiem won six consecutive games from 2-4 to clinch the first set 6-4.
In the eighth game Thiem broke back to draw level to 4-4. Zverev made a double fault as he faced the first set point.
Thiem went up a break to take a 2-0 lead but Zverev broke back in the next game. The 19-year-old German got a double break to reel off six of his next seven games with a double break in the seventh and ninth games to clinch the second set 6-3 forcing the match to the decider.
Thiem called for the trainer with what looked like a right shoulder injury but this did not affect him as he broke three times in the first, third and fifth games to win the third set with a bagel. The young Austrian won 24 of 29 points in the third set.
Thiem clinched his third title of the year after Acapulco and Buenos Aires. He won five of his six titles on clay.
Zverev, who played his first career final, made nine double faults, including four times in the third set. Thiem did not face a break point and won every point on his first serve.
