The World No. We will just have to wait and see. Dominic Thiem is the first man to come back from two sets down to win the US Open final since Pancho Gonzales defeated Ted Schroeder in 1949. With the home favorite working up a 6-2, 7-6, 4-2 lead, the match had seemed like a done and dusted affair. If Swiatek had any nerves entering the first final of her career, she didn't show them, completing her fortnight with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Kenin. She defeated world No. Al Bello/Getty Images. 3: Dominic Thiem! The Aussie is known for fading away when the going gets tough, but on this day he refused to blink; he kept going for his shots, and kept making them. Novak Djokovic, Nitto ATP Finals, London, SF, 21 November 2020 (Match Stats) After Dominic Thiem claimed his first Grand Slam title at this year’s US Open, the Austrian thought his nerves would settle in big moments. The men's game has long been dominated by the Big Three and that didn't exactly change in 2020. The 27-year-old has a promising future ahead and French tennis star Gael Monfils predicts nothing but success for the hard-hitting talent. This is really the best revenge moment. Tennis welcomed a first men's Grand Slam champion from outside the 'Big Three' since 2016 in Dominic Thiem during a 2020 campaign with compelling … He has to hope so. But his level dropped a little after that, and the Swiss took full advantage. Due to her inability to travel, Azarenka's play suffered. Not known for her dominance on clay, Kenin adapted to the unusual conditions and wild weather of the delayed French Open and found ways to win against tricky opponents. He also fell to Nadal but followed up his Parisian debut by notching his first ATP title at the Sofia Open in November, becoming the youngest to do so since Kei Nishikori in 2008. Facing each other for the sixth time at Majors, Dominic Thiem delivered his first victory over Rafael Nadal, defeating world no. Vasek Pospisil: The Canadian missed much of the 2019 season due to back surgery, then made the final (his first since 2014) at Montpellier and had a career-best fourth-round run at the US Open with wins over fellow countryman and No. Djokovic saved that with a gigantic serve, but Thiem's next match point was on his own serve. Since he first made the French Open final in 2018, Thiem has established himself as a successful challenger to the Big Three of Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Off the court, Pospisil joined Djokovic as co-president of a recently formed Professional Tennis Players Association, a players-only organization that most resembles a players' union. Despite the start-stop nature of the calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was some high quality tennis on offer - especially from Dominic Thiem and Novak Djokovic. The personal struggles of Azarenka, the former world No. But don’t be deceived by the scoreline here, because Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem ensured that every second of this match was worth its weight in gold. 1 and clinch his 300th career match win. Dominic Thiem, the world No. 1 7-6, 7-6 4-6, 7-6 after four hours and ten minutes! 1 seemingly improved with every game he played, and he kept asking questions of Thiem - who suddenly felt the ghosts of his two previous Major final defeats. It was the last year the tournament was being held in London, with the event moving to Turin, Italy, from 2021. The winner of the clash between them will most likely earn a place in the knockouts of the tournament, so the stakes are high. Thiem had a career-defining year and finally won his first major title at the US Open. If you closed your eyes and merely listened to the match, you would think that Thanos and Thor were going hammer and tongs at each other in the O2 Arena; such was the intensity in Nadal and Thiem’s shots. Both Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem started the ATP Tour Finals 2020 with a victory on Sunday and will be hoping for another one on Tuesday. Karen Khachanov 6-2, 7-6(5), 6-7(6), 6-7(7), 7-6(10-8). Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer also produced some brilliant tennis in the year to find a place on the chart. She needed a deciding set in four of her six matches heading into the final but never allowed her opponent to take more than three games in the final set. As the tennis season curtains down in a few days from now, the ATP Finals 2020 is hosting fascinating match-ups on the men’s tour. Entering the New York bubble following the coronavirus hiatus, the 31-year-old was ranked outside of the top 50 and hadn't won a competitive match in over a year. The 28-year-old, 5-foot-6 Argentine qualified for his first ATP Finals after more than a decade on tour and played in his first Masters final at the Italian Open. Matteo Berrettini: After reaching the US Open semifinals and making his first ATP Finals in 2019, the 24-year-old looked poised for a big year. In Paris, the 27-year-old Italian enamored herself to fans with her story of perseverance and her joy on the court. That would be Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion and French Open finalist. (Source: USA TODAY Sports) Tennis welcomed a first men’s Grand Slam champion from outside the ‘Big Three’ since 2016 in Dominic Thiem during a 2020 campaign with… Trevisan upset Kiki Bertens, Maria Sakkari and Coco Gauff en route to the quarterfinals. With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down the ATP and WTA tours for months -- including the cancellation of Wimbledon -- and dramatically altering the schedule and conditions at the events that did take place, it is hard to know what to make of the year that was. John Millman, sensing another famous win, went for the jugular and amassed a seemingly unassailable 8-4 lead. He ultimately lost to Nadal, his idol, but made a dramatic rise in the rankings. There are compelling cases to be made for both players who will undoubtedly end their careers as two of the best ever. Then she fell to Azarenka in the semifinals and had to withdraw from the French Open before her second-round match due to an Achilles' injury she sustained during the Azarenka match. Osaka made global headlines for her decision to boycott and forfeit her semifinal match at the Western & Southern Open (the first tournament in a two-event bubble in New York) following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in hopes of raising awareness about racial injustice. When critics counted her out, she put together one of the most impressive three-week stretches in recent memory. But now his improved mental strength came to the fore, and he showed the world how to outdo Djokovic at his own formula. She won the title at the Western & Southern Open then advanced to the final at the US Open before falling to Osaka in three sets. The Serb saved one - his fifth overall - with an ace, but Thiem finally clinched the win with his sixth match-point of the evening. Gauff is too talented and focused to struggle for long and she'll be motivated in 2021. But when both his return and serve are firing, even the best in the business can do nothing much except pray. She promises to be back and 100 percent for the Australian Open. While 2020 was undoubtedly a difficult year, Osaka proved she is a young leader ready to create positive change for years to come. She lost to a red-hot Iga Swiatek in the title clash but proved she will be a dominant and stable presence for the foreseeable future. Yes, Nadal (and the injured Federer) didn't play at the US Open, and Djokovic was disqualified after hitting a line judge with a ball in the fourth round. Her own coach even called it "unbelievable." https://www.atptour.com/en/players/daniil-medvedev/mm58/overview Scoreline: Dominic Thiem def. Dominic Thiem set up another match-point with some crushing forehand missiles, but once again failed to convert. She also became the lowest-ranked French Open victor in the history of the WTA rankings and the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam singles title. Novak Djokovic eventually won the second set after what seemed like ages, which had to be a crushing blow for Thiem. But he lost both of his next service points, which allowed Dominic Thiem to get back in it. A couple of days later the Aussie would again produce a special performance, pushing Rafael Nadal to his limit in a highly competitive four-set loss. He is the second-highest ranked Austrian player in history, behind former world No. He also plans to be back in time to play in Australia. 1 and reigning Australian Open champion, and Rafael Nadal, world No. She also fell to Swiatek but cracked the top 100 for the first time at the end of the tournament. The winner of this quarter-final duel will face either the 12-time champion Rafael Nadal or Italian teenage sensation Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals. But that wasn’t the case as Thiem and Nadal continued producing rally after rally of absolutely breathtaking quality. Dominic Thiem decided to do a Novak Djokovic on the Serb, Serb was dehydrated through much of this encounter. A year or two ago, the Austrian might have struggled to recover from such a situation. She shocked everyone by advancing to the quarterfinals. His career-high ATP ranking in singles is world No. The fact is this: No one else played in three finals at the biggest tournaments of the year. Roger Federer wasn’t physically compromised in Melbourne the way he was at the US Open, but he still couldn’t dictate the play like he usually does. Nick Kyrgios needed 97 winners and 266 minutes to douse the challenge of Karen Khachanov in the third round of the Australian Open this year. Dominic Thiem produced two of the best wins of his career in the space of one week. He won three more titles, making the quarterfinals in New York and Paris, and cracked the top 10 to qualify for his first ATP Finals. If there's one thing tennis fans can say with certainty, no matter how unpredictable everything else seems, don't ever count out Serena. In a year full of ups and downs and stops and starts due to the coronavirus pandemic, Dominic Thiem had his breakthrough moment, finally capturing his first major title at the 2020 US Open. Dominic Thiem beat Rafael Nadal in straight sets to continue his unbeaten campaign at this year's ATP Finals. Dominic Thiem would have been disappointed by the fact that his prized weapon - his forehand - misfired for much of the last two sets. Madison Keys: A staple of the second week at majors over past several years, Keys was lacking her normal spark this season. 1) Dominic Thiem def. Dominic Thiem features thrice in our list of the top 5 men's matches from 2020, while Novak Djokovic appears twice. Who had the most impressive year despite the circumstances? She didn't fare much better in doubles with partner Caty McNally. By: Reuters | Updated: December 15, 2020 12:26:46 pm Dominic Thiem celebrates with the US Open trophy after his match against Alexander Zverev. The Mallorcan did manage to set up a set point for himself at 6-5 - on his serve - but produced an uncharacteristic backhand error to let it slip. 67, which he achieved on 7 October 2019. But the Russian flipped the script in spectacular fashion, clawing his way back into the match to take it to a decider. But with neither one dramatically outshining the other, it's time to see who is behind door No. After playing cards with Benoit Paire at the US Open, Kristina Mladenovic was forced to withdraw with doubles partner Timea Babos ahead of their second-round match after Paire tested positive for COVID-19. 1 and local favorite Ashleigh Barty in the semifinals before defeating two-time major champion Garbine Muguruza in the final for a three-set victory. A custody battle over her son, Leo, prevented her from playing a full schedule since his birth in 2016. He had not only been to the doorstep of major success, but walked through it. Up 4-0 in the deciding set tiebreak, Novak Djokovic was just a few racquet swings away from making yet another final. The Austrian clinched the US Open to end the ‘Big 3’s’ dominance and earned numerous fans along the way. 2 and the reigning French Open champion who tied Roger Federer with 20 major victories. Swiatek didn't drop a set or allow an opponent to win more than five games during her run to become the youngest champion at Roland Garros since Nadal in 2005. 3 after becoming the first male player born in the 1990s to win a Grand Slam and the first non-Big Three member since 2016 to win a major. You carried me all the way, I'm proud to have you as a partner.". But even though he couldn't go deep at his home Slam, Kyrgios' win over Khachanov in the third round will linger in memory for a very long time. This was Dominic Thiem’s first-ever hardcourt Major final. Khachanov eventually missed one of his backhands, to hand Kyrgios arguably his career-best win. Scoreline: Novak Djokovic def. Diego Schwartzman, a fan favorite and beloved by his peers, cracked the top 10 for the first time in his career and advanced to his first major semifinal in Paris. Thiem reeled off six points in a row to stun Djokovic and create two more match points. Except that he didn't. Thiem dropped the second set after winning the first but came back strongly to win the tie 7-6, 4-6, 6-3. Dominic Thiem needed two monster tie breaks to overcome Novak Djokovic and advance to the final of the ATP Finals, beating the Serbian … 3, which he first achieved on 2 March 2020, and in doubles is No. He did not beat a single top-10 player from November 2019 to October 2020 but has now beaten seven in the space of four weeks. 24. Serena Williams: The fan-less US Open looked to be the perfect scenario for Williams to tie Margaret Court's record of 24 major victories. Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. He ended the year ranked No. It's not quite as good as winning a major, but it feels as if he's not far off from achieving that, too. Understandably, she was less than thrilled by what transpired and not in prime playing shape weeks later at the start of the French Open. They stopped only when the Austrian clinched the match by going up another level in the second set tiebreaker, but that left everyone watching wishing it could have gone three sets. LONDON (AP) — Dominic Thiem ended Novak Djokovic’s bid for a record-tying sixth ATP Finals title, beating the top-ranked player 7-5, 6-7 (10), 7-6 (5) in the semifinals Saturday by Thiem's breakthrough, Osaka's advocacy and Swiatek's rise highlight 2020 tennis season, Kenin, 16-2 in majors, voted WTA Player of Year, Federer says knee not 100%, iffy for Aussie Open, Wimbledon champ, Hall of Famer Olmedo dies, Ralston, Hall of Fame tennis player, dies at 78, Ukrainian player given life ban for match-fixing, USTA calls off youth winter championships, Australian Open reportedly set for Feb. 8 start, Daniil Medvedev finds confidence, composure en route to first ATP Finals victory, Medvedev defeats top 3 to win first ATP Finals, Kyrgios on mental health: I was in a dark place, Time away from tennis and 'Mamba Mentality': 2020 was the year Nick Kyrgios needed, Taylor Townsend excited about future in tennis and motherhood, Bryant: How a phone jack brought out the worst in the NCAA, UMass penalized for hoops, tennis violations, Breaking into singles top 100 remains Ankita Raina's aim post doubles success, Leander Paes eyeing 'unbreakable' record eighth straight Olympics in Tokyo, Lopez Perez banned 8 years for match-fixing, Osaka to star in new manga comic book series, Exacting travel plans and living in a vacuum: Welcome to the brave, new world of sport, Reinvigorated Prajnesh shifts focus to 2021 after promising year-end return, Becker leaves role at German Tennis Federation, Dominic Thiem never stopped believing he could win the 2020 US Open, chose to wear a different face mask ahead of each match, proved she is a young leader ready to create positive change, their second-round meeting at the TopSeed Open in Kentucky, she put together one of the most impressive three-week stretches, the youngest champion at Roland Garros since Nadal in 2005, her first major semifinals at the US Open. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer … Thiem saved another set point with a titanic forehand winner that was clocked close to 100 mph. Subscribe now! As the match progressed, it felt like the two players would perhaps tire out from all the exertion they were going through just to win individual points. He even broke the mighty Swiss’ serve early in the decider, bringing back flashes of New York 2018, but Federer broke back immediately. The World No. https://bit.ly/2Pdr81i With a 17-2 record at the majors, his first Grand Slam title and wins over Djokovic and Nadal in London, the Austrian's 2020 … There are breakthroughs and then there's what Swiatek did in Paris this fall. Despite the months-long break from competition, the legendary sisters didn't disappoint in their second-round meeting at the TopSeed Open in Kentucky. Dominic Thiem came out on top in a high-quality match to beat Rafael Nadal at the ATP Finals. Who managed to remain focused and have a breakthrough tournament or season? The Serb was helped greatly by his serve, winning several big points by producing a timely ace or service winner. Ultimately, Serena rallied from a set down and a 4-2 deficit in the final set to earn the 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. His results for the rest of the year only added to his case. Throughout her run at the US Open, Naomi Osaka wore a mask highlighting a different Black victim of racial injustice and police brutality. Although Williams won the Brisbane International, her first tournament title since coming back from childbirth, the season still feels like a missed opportunity. "Just a few weeks after being unjustly disqualified from the US Open, being here with you and with this trophy is something very strong," Mladenovic said to Babos after the win. 1 and two-time major champion, have been well documented over the past few seasons. Dominic Thiem lost the last match of the year, but in 2020 the Austrian lived up to his promise. But the duo -- the defending champions in Paris -- rolled through the tournament to win their fourth major title together with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Desirae Krawczyk and Alexa Guarachi. Will 2019 Berrettini return in 2021? Nadal had two set points in the first-set tie-break but could not convert with Thiem eventually securing the win on his fourth match point. The match was headed to a final set tiebreaker, and it seemed impossible to predict the outcome. He had come excruciatingly close, and yet was still a whole set away from victory. The Australian needed just two more points for a victory. 2: Dominic Thiem. The momentum swung Federer's way as he won the second and third sets, and at that stage many believed he would wrap up the match in four sets. She was the first tennis player to speak out, and her actions resulted in the tournament pausing play for the day. Those are mind-boggling figures for any tennis match, but they still don't do justice to this titanic, belief-defying contest. You are weighing the 2020 résumés for Novak Djokovic, the year-end world No. Kyrgios was serving up missiles and unleashing 150kph winners at will; what chance did a misfiring (and fatigued) Khachanov stand? By: Reuters | Updated: December 15, 2020 12:10:46 pm Russia’s Daniil Medvedev lifts the trophy as he celebrates winning the final match against Austria’s Dominic Thiem (Source: Reuters) Tennis welcomed a first men’s Grand Slam champion from outside the ‘Big Three’ since 2016 in Dominic Thiem during a 2020 campaign with compelling storylines despite the […] At the Australian Open this year, John Millman proved that his win over Roger Federer at the 2018 US Open was not a fluke. He also played in the finals at the Australian Open and the ATP Finals. Not to mention, she also advanced to the semifinals in doubles with partner Nicole Melichar. 54, the 19-year-old, who had never advanced past the fourth round at a major, destroyed everyone in her path, including a 6-1, 6-2 rout over 2018 champion and event favorite Simona Halep in the fourth round. This season felt familiar in that regard with two first-time major champions and several new faces pulling off upsets. She kept fans guessing during the tennis restart about her status but ultimately decided not to risk playing. There was one player who made her way near the top of the rankings and not only stayed there but stepped up when it mattered most. Starting the 2020 season ranked No. Thiem and Kenin were phenomenal on the court, but Naomi Osaka was extraordinary on and off of it. Swiatek didn't play again this season, but she finished the year at No. But Russian Andrey Rublev did his best to interrupt the status quo. Thiem had lost three consecutive Grand Slam finals: the 2018 and 2019 French Opens, followed by the Australian Open earlier this year. The Serbian leads their ledger 6-4, but succumbed in their past two meetings – at the ATP Finals and the Roland Garros semifinals last year. 37 -- more than 40 spots higher than where he opened the 2020 season. Rafael Nadal did have his chances in the opening set, at one point leading the tiebreaker 5-2. She missed the start of the 2020 season and contemplated retirement. But that doesn't take anything away from the fact that Novak Djokovic hung around long enough for the Austrian's game to fall away. Thiem and Nadal were unyielding on the court throughout the contest, measuring each groundstroke with the perfect amount of precision and an even greater amount of power. ATP Players of 2020, No. Her run in Paris proved just how resilient she can be. Now 39, his career obviously is winding down. During such a strange season, there was something so comforting about a Serena and Venus Williams battle in one of the first tournaments after the coronavirus hiatus. She was a favorite entering the event. When fans needed something to cheer for, the sisters delivered with one of the more competitive matches they've played against each other in their 31st showdown. 17 and is a likely front-runner heading into the 2021 Australian Open. Tsvetana Pironkova: Pironkova, who hadn't played a match in over three years following the birth of her son in 2017, used her protected ranking to gain entrance to the US Open. Updated 2221 GMT (0621 HKT) November 17, 2020 . But instead he struggled before and after the restart. The American finished the season with a career-high ranking at No. Kenin soared in Melbourne, dropping only one set en route to the final. Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-7 (10), 7-6 (5). His best result was a fourth-round run at the US Open. Millman controlled his own share of the rallies early on and also retrieved quite well, to take the opening set 6-4. And who provided us with feel-good moments at a time when we so desperately needed them? The tweets were posted and the votes have been tallied: over the last week, thousands of our fans logged on to make their voices heard in the 2020 US Open Fans' Choice Awards. John Millman 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (10-8). Understandably, not many expected him to topple the King of Melbourne, Novak Djokovic, in his own backyard. Bianca Andreescu: The 2019 US Open champion didn't play a match in 2020 as she recovered from a knee injury. Federer reeled off five points in a row to find himself match-point up at 9-8. For the second straight year, Dominic Thiem will play for the Nitto ATP Finals trophy, with a first-time champion guaranteed to be crowned in London. That doesn't take away from Thiem's milestone in New York. But Dominic Thiem decided to do a Novak Djokovic on the Serb. 1 Thomas Muster. It was easily the Cinderella story of the year. "Physically, mentally, I'm exhausted today. The Swiss legend summoned all of his experience and skills, anticipating everything that Millman sent his way to turn the tiebreaker around. Recently crowned US Open champion Dominic Thiem will face Diego Schwartzman in the French Open quarter-finals on Tuesday, 6 October 2020. Instead of adjusting to life as a major winner and top-10 player, she was in lockdown at her home in Florida. Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev shake hands after the semifinal A winning volley booked his 11th showdown with second seed Djokovic, his third appearance in a Grand Slam final. In the second set tiebreaker, Novak Djokovic came back from 0-2 down to build a 4-2 lead. The 27-year-old Austrian ends the year ranked a career-high No. She ultimately lost to Swiatek in the semifinals but nearly tripled her career earnings during her Parisian trip. He saved a match point in the third set tiebreak and another in the fourth set before finding himself a mini-break up at 8-7 in the deciding set tiebreaker. Following a fourth-round run at the US Open and the worst loss of her career at the lead-up Italian Open (an astounding 6-0, 6-0 loss to Victoria Azarenka), a refocused Kenin arrived at Roland Garros with something to prove. At that point it seemed that the Serb had all but guaranteed a deciding third set, but Thiem had other ideas. Having finished the 2019 season in the world's top-five and started the 2020 campaign by making a major final at the Australian Open, Dominc Thiem's prospects were looking great until lockdown. Dominic Thiem won the most important trophy of his career in 2020. He found a way out of the trickiest of spots in the most thrilling fashion possible, unleashing a barrage of jaw-dropping groundstrokes. In Saturday’s opening semifinal, Thiem survived collapsing against five-time winner Novak Djokovic, 7-5, 6-7 (10), 7-6 (5), to avenge his 2020 Australian Open final defeat to the world No. 3 male tennis player, plans to play in the 2021 Olympics now that the Austrian Open will not overlap with the Tokyo Games. He then thumped a forehand winner far beyond Millman's reach, reminding everyone that even at the age of 38, he should never be written off.