Thiem returns with dramatic win over Rublev in Monte Carlo

Austria’s Dominic Thiem returned from a five-week injury lay-off with a dramatic win over Russian Andrey Rublev in Monte Carlo.

The fifth seed saved a match point on his way to a 5-7 7-5 7-5 victory, setting up a third-round clash with Novak Djokovic or Borna Coric.

Thiem was playing for the first time since rolling his ankle in Indian Wells last month, forcing him to miss the second Masters event of the year in Miami.

A thrilling match. ????

A heartbreaking finish. @ThiemDomi saves a match point to slip past Andrey Rublev, 5-7 7-5 7-5 in 2:40. #RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/zAdEobK2Lm

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 17, 2018

Rublev, the world No.33, served for the match at 5-4 in the final set but fired a forehand long on match point, and Thiem capitalised by breaking back.

The clay-court specialist broke serve once again to seal the contest after two hours and 40 minutes, and claim his ninth win on the surface in 2018.

This seed Alexander Zverev had a testing time against Gilles Muller, winning 4-6 6-3 6-2, and the German’s brother Mischa Zverev upset French seventh seed Lucas Pouille 2-6 6-1 7-6(3).

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“I was giving him opportunities to break me,” said Pouille.

“My level of game was not good. In the second set, he played better and I was continuing to have a poor level of game.”

Bulgarian fourth seed Gregor Dimitrov needed three sets to progress, eventually seeing off Pierre-Hugues Herbert 3-6 6-2 6-4, while Belgian sixth seed David Goffin defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(4) 7-5.