French Open: Thiem ends Djokovic Slam hopes

Published by Reuters / Tennismash

Dominic Thiem is back in the final for the second year running; Getty Images
Dominic Thiem outlasts Novak Djokovic in five sets at the French Open to earn a repeat of last year’s final against with Rafael Nadal.

Austrian Dominic Thiem crushed Novak Djokovic’s French Open hopes as he returned to Court Philippe Chatrier to complete a 6-2 3-6 7-5 5-7 7-5 victory and set up a repeat of last year’s final against Rafael Nadal.

Thiem, the fourth seed, was leading 3-1 in the third set on Friday when the semifinal was interrupted by rain and then surprisingly abandoned for the day.

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On the resumption on Saturday, Djokovic got straight into his groove and broke back in the third game of the day – but he dropped serve and lost his cool in a dramatic 12th game of the set to allow Thiem to move to within a set of the final.

The world No.1 recovered to take the fourth set but slipped 4-1 down in the decider and saved a point to avoid trailing 5-1 before another hour-long rain break.

Thiem crumbled when serving for the match at 5-3, wasting two match points, but he got another opportunity when Djokovic served at 5-6 and finished the job with a sublime forehand winner.

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