DOMINIC THIEM became the first player in the Open Era to recover from two sets down and win a final when he outclassed his friend Alexander Zverev 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in a cracking five-setter to win the U.S. Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.

The win, which took more than four hours, marks the first time an Austrian has ever won the U.S. Open. Thiem is also the first men’s Grand Slam champion who was born in the 1990s.

“I wish we could have two winners today. I think we both deserved it,” said an emotional Thiem, who was in tears during the trophy presentation.

“We really start to know each other, playing the game we love at 14, developed straight away a great friendship and then at 16 a great rivalry started. We made great things happen on the court as well as off the court,” he said.

“I want to congratulate Dominic on the first of what will be many Slam titles. I wish he’d missed a few more shots,” Zverev said. Then the German star also broke down in tears when mentioning his parents who contracted COVID-19 in the latest screening.

“There are some special people missing in the crowd today. For one thing, my parents. They’re always with me and unfortunately my dad and mother tested positive before the tournament. I miss them but ... it’s just tough. I wish one day that I can bring the trophy home,” he intoned.

With no fans in attendance, the atmosphere was strangely flat, but both Thiem and Zverev put up a marvellous performance throughout the tense encounter.

Thiem experienced three previous defeats in finals of tennis majors and he joked that he might have to call Andy Murray if he came short Sunday since the former world number one lost his first four Grand Slam finals.

He did find himself on the brink of defeat as Zverev effortlessly won the first set in half an hour and went 5-1 ahead in the second. A nightmarish outcome for the Austrian was on the cards. But Thiem regained his composure at the critical moment and broke the shackles to claw back in the third and prompted a fourth set.

The nerves continued to rattle at both ends but the momentum gradually shifted in favor of Thiem. Despite pounding 16 winners, Zverev looked agitated and vulnerable to his predatory opponent, who steadily elevated his game with admirable calmness and wrapped up the title with the match deep into its fourth hour.

As the first player born in the 1990s to claim a men’s Grand Slam, Thiem arguably represents a new era. Finally, a player other than Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer has clinched a major title since 2016.

It was also a peek into the future as the tennis world are coming to terms with the fact that they have to live with the coronavirus.

(SD-Agencies)