Austrian is seeded second and out to end a run of three defeats in the last eight Grand Slam finals
Tuesday 8 September 2020 07:08, UK
Dominic Thiem lived up to his billing as the new US Open favourite with a scintillating display to knock out Andy Murray's conqueror Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The Austrian is favourite for the title after Novak Djokovic's default on Sunday for striking a ball at a line judge, and Thiem produced a near flawless sprint to the finish line to dismantle his opponent 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-2.
To many observers, Auger-Aliassime had served up the display of the tournament in his victory over Murray but after a tight first set was edged by Thiem on a tie-break, the second seed produced a spectacular display down the stretch.
The 27-year-old lost just two more games as Auger-Aliassime couldn't live with his opponent's speed, movement and power - traits that have taken him to the brink of a major breakthrough.
Since losing to Rafael Nadal in the 2018 French Open, he has also suffered defeat to the Spaniard in the 2019 final at Roland Garros and Djokovic in the Australian Open final earlier this year, but he looks well placed to go all the way having now matched his best performance in the US major.
Two years ago, he was beaten by Nadal, his nemesis, in the quarter-finals in New York, this year he will face Australia's Alex de Minaur - like Auger-Aliassime, one of the game's risings stars also sensing an opportunity.
Nadal and Roger Federer are absent and Djokovic's headline-grabbing exit has left the tournament there for the taking and Thiem is perfectly positioned to finally make his breakthrough.
For the first time in six years, there will be a brand new men's singles Grand Slam champion and after years of hinting at a breakthrough for the new generation, this year will crown a first men's Slam champion to be born in the 1990s.
"For myself, and I think for the other remaining players left in the draw, it doesn't matter at all if the big three are here or not," Thiem said after his victory.
"I think everyone just wants their hands on this trophy. What happened, happened. Nobody of the other players has any or had any influence of that.
"We just need to focus and focus on ourselves. Of course, it's probably a little bit of a bigger chance for all of us to win the first slam."
De Minaur accounted for the last 30-year-old standing when he reached the last eight of Grand Slam for the first time thanks to a 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-2 win over Canada's Vasek Pospisil
The 21-year-old got the better of a tight and tense first set that featured no break points and ended when De Minaur staged a rallying comeback from 6-2 down in the tie-break, reeling off six points in succession to take the opener.
Having wasted four set points, Pospisil, who had been alongside Novak Djokovic in starting a new players association, lost his way and managed just five more games as De Minaur advanced to the last eight
"That first set was crucial, I think it was just a couple of things going his way and then my way," the 21st seed said afterwards.
"I went down 6-2 but I don't think I played a bad tiebreak I was just unlucky here and there - I just tried to stay calm, do my thing."
De Minaur and Thiem will now meet on Wednesday with a place in the last four at stake, as two of the fittest men on the Tour it could be a long evening, neither man know how to give up, and now with the tournament wide open they won'b be about to let up.
Daniil Medvedev is also a serious contender as he looks to go one better than last year.
The Russian lost to Rafael Nadal in five sets in the 2019 final but is playing the sort of tennis which could see him become champion as he destroyed Frances Tiafoe 6-4 6-1 6-0 to go through to the last eight.
Medvedev admitted that he was in "unbelievable" form, winning 12 of the last 13 games.
He said: "In the beginning I was not playing amazing. I was doing a little bit of unforced mistakes... I was lucky to get an early break, relax a little bit and then I played some unbelievable tennis tonight.
"I'm playing good. I'm playing better every match."
He will now meet his compatriot and 10th seed Andrey Rublev in the next round.
Rublev is also a contender for the title, after beating Matteo Berrettini 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-3.
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