XtraTime Web Desk: Second seed Austrian Dominic Thiem became the first Grand Slam champion in the pandemic era. The World No 3 defeated Alexander Zverev after trailing two sets down 2-6,4-6,6-4,6-3 and 7-6 to win the US Open 2020 title at the Flushing Meadows on Sunday. Thiem became the first Austrian to claim a singles title in the history of US Open.
Both men served for the match in the fifth set, Zverev at 5-3 and Thiem at 6-5, but neither came close to ending it. What started as a Zverev rout was ultimately decided by the finest of margins, 8-6 in the breaker, with each set more competitive than the one preceding it. There were four breaks of serve in the final five games of the match, and 15 in total.
“It was tough to stay there and to still believe, but I did,” Thiem said in his post-match press conference. “It’s a Slam final…the belief was always there.”
The best moment of the final came seconds after the match got over as the two friends were involved in a handshake in front of the empty stands at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.