Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday set a blockbuster second-round Wimbledon showdown with two-time champion Andy Murray when he battled previous former World No. 3 Dominic Them in a roller-coaster five-setter performed over two days.

Regardless of trailing by a set in a single day — the match was suspended as a result of rain Tuesday seven video games into the second set — Tsitsipas performed properly upon the resumption Wednesday, whereas his opponent faltered. The Greek appeared in full management up two units to 1 and a break level within the first recreation of the fourth set, however he was made to beat a spirited comeback from Thiem to flee 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-6 (10-8) after three hours and 55 minutes.

“It was fairly annoying, I will not lie. We had been on the market, I do not know what number of hours… for a second I assumed we had been doing the repeat of Isner-Mahut,” Tsitsipas stated in his on-court interview. “It felt without end. Clearly tremendous glad that it went my approach.

“Dominic is somebody who has introduced one of the best out of me each single time that we have had the chance to play one another. And it was fairly irritating on the identical time. However that is tennis. I imply, we each fought laborious at this time. We put out a present. Hope everybody loved it.”

Tsitsipas was in dire straits at 3-3 within the deciding set, when his surging opponent, earned break level at 30/40. The 24-year-old hit a ball that was referred to as lengthy, however overruled by the chair umpire. Thiem challenged unsuccessfully and Tsitsipas was capable of battle via the sport to carry serve. 

From there, Tsitsipas, whose girlfriend and WTA star Paula Badosa was in his field after incomes her personal victory, clicked again into gear. The fifth seed was unable to transform a match level on return at 6-5, which Thiem saved with a heavy crosscourt forehand. He then missed one other alternative at 9/7 within the ensuing tie-break when he nervously left a ball quick, permitting the Austrian to crush a forehand winner.

However the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion didn’t let slip his third alternative, hitting a forehand passing shot for a winner to seal his win.

“Dominic is a troublesome competitor,” Tsitsipas stated. “I want him all one of the best sooner or later.”

With the win, Tsitsipas levelled his Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence with Thiem at 5-5. Earlier this yr in Madrid, the Greek triumphed in one other final-set tie-break.

It is not going to get simpler when Tsitsipas returns to motion towards former World No. 1 Murray, who misplaced simply 4 video games in his opening match towards Ryan Peniston. The pair has break up two earlier Lexus ATP Head2Head conferences, together with a five-setter Tsitsipas received on the 2021 US Open.

“I am not anticipating anybody’s assist,” Tsitsipas stated, eliciting roars of laughter from the gang. “That is not my first rodeo… I am going to share one thing with you, just a few years in the past once I was a child, I bear in mind witnessing his first Wimbledon title and occupied with it now type of offers me goosebumps as a result of I type of felt what he went via throughout that closing. And it was so tough for him to shut that final recreation and each time I rewatch that second, I simply really feel shivers throughout my physique.”

Thiem, No. 91 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, is now 7-15 in 2023 and has received a match at only one main (2021 Australian Open, R16) since profitable the 2020 US Open. However the Austrian will depart London with confidence after placing collectively one in all his most encouraging performances of the season.