by Kingsley Elliot Kaye
Just a few years ago Murray vs Thiem would have been a match of the final stages of any tournament.
If you consider the players’ pedigree here in Madrid, Murray a winner in 2008 and 2015 and finalist in 2016, Thiem a finalist in 2017 and 2018, and semi-finalist 2019 and 2021, just one year ago. It seems incredible that this was just the glamour match of the first evening session here at the Mutua Open.
Injuries may affect rankings, but not tennis fans’ devotion to their champions and not the players’ commitment to the game. The crammed stands and the spectacle displayed at times by Andy Murray and Dominic Thiem, in their yearning to get back to their highest, was the best testimonial of the expectations and emotions tennis can generate.
Murray got off to an excellent start, holding serve comfortably and appearing immediately to be nicely hitting through.
Such a stride earned him an early break point in the second game, which he failed to convert by dumping a seemingly easy return into the net. The match rose to expectations with enthralling and battled points which got the public on their feet. Eventually Thiem hammered a backhand down the line to close in on 1-1.
Both players led the dance on their following service games. But in the fourth Murray slightly retreated and playing from further behind the baseline allowed Thiem to dictate pace and set up an array of aggressive winners: a flying forehand, a cat and mouse moment, moving Murray to and fro and finally opening up the court with a drop shot.
In game 5 Murray faced a first hardship on serve and was down 0-30 after a double fault but here the match took a turn. A streak of 13 points won to 3, Thiem conceding his serve with three unforced forehand errors, and Murray flew to a 5-2 lead, hitting two aces.
In game nine, serving for the set, the Scot started by losing the first point after a feeble volley, but dashed back to clutch the first set with an ace and another forehand error by Thiem.
The start of the second set mirrored the first. After a first comfortable service game for Thiem, the second game turned into a battle.
A double fault brought Murray to face the first break point of the match, resolutely erased with an ace. A second break point was wasted by Thiem with an unforced error. Sensing the opportunity to level the match, the Austrian earned a third break point with a forehand down the line. Murray brilliantly saved it with serve and volley, moved ahead with yet another ace and in the next point, though under pressure, he forced Thiem to try and dig a low volley that didn’t make it over the net.
Disappointment may have seeped in for the missed opportunity. In the following game the Austrian committed three forehand errors and lost his service.
The match went on with serve. Murray delighted the public with an exquisite forehand half-volley in the sixth game, followed by an ace to rise 4-2.
In the eighth game Murray faced what would be the last threat, finding himself swamped at deuce after leading 40-love, but again the Austrian lost his bearings, and with two unforced forehands lagged 5-3.
One of the points of the match was staged at 15-15 in game 9: Thiem served a service out wide and followed it up with an inside out forehand which set up a low sliced volley. Amazing scurrying by Murray who stretched at his utmost to place a forehand lob on the line, retrieved the smash, finally ran down the Thiem’s drop shot, ending the point with a counter drop shot with his forehand. That was some panache.
Serving for the match at 5-4, Murray didn’t falter. He earned two match points and put it away with a last winning serve out wide
A victory for Murray which reminds of all those years when he used to drift through rounds with ease, seldom troubled by his opponents, never failing to show up against his great rivals in the ultimate duels for the crowns.
Murray was strategically impeccable, varying pace continuously: from hitting through and moving his opponent from side to side, then lofting balls, not to allow Thiem, already not fully confident, to get on a roll.
The higher number of matches played by Murray in 2022 surely contributed to making a difference. Thiem was often struggling to find his pace, power and regularity, unable to put constant pressure, to find that intensity that distinguished him and drove him to a Major crown.
Thiem still in quest, still a paler shade of himself. But as Andy told him, over the net: “Keep going. It takes time but you will be fine.”
