FedEx Performance Zone: Deciding-Set Heroes

Already a four-time ATP World Tour champion this season, 23-year-old Dominic Thiem is riding high on his formula for success. The co-leader with Novak Djokovic for match wins this season, on 56, the Austrian is on track to qualify for his first Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

An often unrecognised statistic in his winning ways, though, is his enviable tour-leading 21-1 record in deciding sets for the year to date. “Every time I read it I’m impressed about the statistic,” Thiem laughs.

It is a huge improvement on last season, a combination of factors the Austrian puts down to luck, fitness and a healthy dose of confidence.

“A lot of things have an influence,” he said. “First of all, in the first couple of tournaments of the year I was a little bit lucky to win a few third sets. Then of course if you have a 5-0, 6-0, 7-0 record in the decider, you have a lot of confidence.

“The other thing is on clay it’s very hard to play against me. It’s heavier I think and physically tough for the opponent. That’s also the reason and of course my fitness and mental game have improved on last year.”

Despite the impressive record Thiem doubts it enters his opponents’ minds, should they find themselves in a deciding set against him. They are more focused on what they need to do to get across the line.

“Nobody really thinks about it when it goes to the deciding set,” he said. “I don’t think somebody goes in thinking they’re scared because I have such good statistics.”

It serves as a welcome confidence boost in the back of his mind if the match is all square and heading to a final set. “I think so yeah. I think last year was different,” he said.

“I lost more than I won. I think if it comes to a decider I have a very good record there so you have a bit better feeling than normal.”

So who claims bragging rights as the only player to have taken the deciding set against Thiem in 2016? That goes to Philipp Kohlschreiber, a third-set tie-break winner in the BMW Open final in Munich.

“Nothing went wrong,” he laughed. “He played really good and he deserved to win that actually. I was really lucky it came to a decider.”

 Here’s a look at the Top 10 deciding-set match wins leaders for 2016 to date.