INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 12, 2021

Dominic Thiem

Press Conference

D. THIEM/M. Fucsovics

3-6, 7-6, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Today you were two points away from losing the match in the tiebreak of the second. Then you hit an amazing backhand winner. What went through your mind in that exact moment?

DOMINIC THIEM: In that exact moment, I was just focused to win the next point. I was down all the time. You know, first set I lost and then second I was a break down. Tiebreak I was 4-5 down. So until that point, 5-All, I was down all the match.

So I told myself, Well, this is the chance now to go up for the first time in the whole match. It's also, if I win the point, it's a chance to win the set, no?

That's what went through my mind. Luckily I took it.

Q. Also, how do you keep your mind clear in that situation? Because it's complicated. Do you just not think of the score?

DOMINIC THIEM: Of course I think about the score. I cannot not think about the score, but it was tough the whole match. I was struggling with the timing a little bit. I was facing a great opponent who is playing amazing tennis this year.

So I was fighting a lot with myself but kept fighting from the first to the last point. That paid off today, and I'm super happy about it.