By Daily sports on May 5, 2021

World No 4 Dominic Thiem eased to a 6-1, 6-3 thrashing of American Marcos Giron in the Madrid Open on Tuesday in his first match for almost two months.

The Austrian, playing for the first time since a surprise loss to Lloyd Harris in Dubai, broke his 91st-ranked opponent's serve four times and did not face a break point.

“I need 100 per cent in every aspect of my game,” said the third seed.

“I was just not able to put that on court in Doha, Dubai, or towards the end of the Australian Open, so that’s why it was better to take a break.”

Thiem will next face Australia's Alex de Minaur, who was leading Harris 6-2, 3-0 when the South African retired injured, in the third round.

Italian teenager Jannik Sinner booked his place in the second round when his opponent Guido Pella withdrew with a leg injury in the second set while trailing 6-2 4-4.

“I never played against him before, so you never know what to expect,” said world number 18 Sinner.

“I was trying to keep focused on what I had to do. I think it has been a good first match obviously.”

Sinner, the Miami Masters runner-up, will face Alexei Popyrin in the second round after the Australian beat German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 7-6 (7/4).

Sixth seed Andrey Rublev, meanwhile, had to work hard before becoming the first man through to the third round, battling for two hours and 20 minutes with American Tommy Paul before coming through 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4.

“It’s important to win when you're not (playing) your (best) game and things are not going well,” the Russian said.

“So it’s really important to win this match to have more confidence. I’m happy that I turned it around.”

The in-form Rublev has reached at least the quarterfinals in all of his previous eight tournaments this season.

Former Madrid Open runner-up Kei Nishikori edged out Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-2 in the first round.

But Canadian pair Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov both suffered early defeats.

Auger-Aliassime, the 15th seed, lost 6-1, 6-4 to Norway’s Casper Ruud in the opening round, while 11th seed Shapovalov was beaten 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 by Kazakh Alexander Bublik in the last 32.

World number 10 Matteo Berrettini saw off his fellow Italian Fabio Fognini, winning 6-3, 6-4 to book a third-round spot. (AFP)

•PHOTO: World No 4 Dominic Thiem

Source Daily sports

Posted May 5, 2021

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