Imagine playing a set and half of tennis in the biggest match of your life and not missing a single backhand groundstroke.

Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Dominic Thiem 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-6(4) to win the Nitto ATP Finals on Sunday, with his swashbuckling one-handed backhand providing the rock he needed to lean on after losing the opening set.

In the first set, Tsitsipas hit 34 backhand groundstrokes (excluding returns and volleys), collecting one winner, while making eight errors. At 6/6 in the first-set tie-break, Tsitsipas miss-hit a backhand long to gift Thiem a set point. This innocuous backhand error would prove to be a pivotal moment in the final. The match was 65 minutes old, and Tsitsipas would incredibly not miss a backhand groundstroke for the next 35 minutes, until 0-0, 30/40 in the third set.

View Infosys ATP Scores & Stats Match Center

During that 35-minute period, the Greek made 19 straight backhands while Thiem’s backhand faltered with 11 errors and no winners from 40 shots. Basically, Thiem made a backhand error one out of every four times he hit that stroke, while Tsitsipas simply couldn’t miss the court.

Fast forward to the end of the match, and it was once again the Tsitsipas backhand that stood tall. He made his last nine backhands in a row, including all seven in the thrilling third-set tie-break. Thiem, on the other hand, hit seven backhand groundstrokes in the third-set tie-break, and crucially missed two of them.

Backhand Performance: Tsitsipas v Thiem

Both players struck exactly 34 backhand groundstrokes in the opening set, with Tsitsipas averaging one error for every 4.3 backhands (8/34), which was superior to Thiem’s average of one backhand error for every 2.8 backhands (12/34). In the second set, Tsitsipas didn’t commit a backhand groundstroke error. Thiem missed five of his 10 backhands.

Tsitsipas Ad Court First Serves Down The T
Another key battle that the Greek dominated was first serves in the Ad court. Overall, he lost seven first-serve points in the Deuce court, dropping just three in the Ad court. Tsitsipas’ strategy was to overwhelmingly serve down the T in the Ad court, where he didn’t lose a single point, winning all 16 points he directed there.

Tsitsipas 1st Serve Direction & Win Percentage

When you combine Deuce Court and Ad Court, Tsitsipas won a mind-blowing 93 per cent (26/28) of first-serve points going right down the T for the match.

ATP Infosys Second Screen: Thiem’s First Serve vs. Tsitsipas, Ad Court

Thiem served out wide in the Ad court at the highest rate (62%) of any location on both sides of the court combined. By doing so, he went to Tsitsipas’ backhand. That did not pay dividends, as he only won 60 per cent of those points (12/20) and did not hit one ace.

Tsitsipas’ serve was on fire, and the backhand simply refused to break. That combination can get you places.

Two years ago, Stefanos Tsitsipas was on the outside looking in on the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals, only making Milan as an alternate. Last year, the Greek captured the title at that event. But while he was excited to lift the trophy, he wanted to improve even more.

“[I want to] refresh and come to enter into 2019 stronger and better, just a better Stefanos than 2018,” Tsitsipas said.

‘Better’ understates how the 21-year-old performed this season. Tsitsipas capped off a tremendous 2019 with the biggest title of his career on Sunday, triumphing at the Nitto ATP Finals.

“I came with a lot of confidence in the [2018] Next Gen ATP Finals knowing I’m one of the best and I can do really well. Left with the trophy. Felt unbelievably excited for the new season because I beat he youngest generation of players. I think that gave me a tremendous amount of boost,” Tsitsipas said. “Fresh blood, they are always fighting more and they are new to the game, so for me that was a great first look of how things work and operate in the Masters circle. It’s a great combo, isn’t it?”

Tsitsipas has said on several occasions that he dreamt of competing in the Nitto ATP Finals against the best players in the world. After defeating then-World No.1 Novak Djokovic at the Rolex Shanghai Masters last month, a reporter told the Greek that he had booked his spot at The O2. His reaction was priceless.

“No way! Really? I didn’t know that!” Tsitsipas said, with a smile as bright as his game.

“Firstly, I was excited to be part of the Nitto ATP Finals experience. For me, it was already a big thing,” Tsitsipas said after defeating Dominic Thiem in Sunday’s final. “Now that I’m a champion, I don’t know how to explain it. I honestly don’t feel anything, because it’s too many emotions to feel something.

“I remember myself watching this event on TV and thinking, ‘Oh, these guys have done an insane year to be playing here.’ And now I’m in the position to be champion, so it feels awesome.”

It’s fitting that Tsitsipas’ championship win came against Thiem, with whom he practised at this event three years ago, when he was the junior World No. 1. A photo of the two from after one of their hits that week resurfaced before Sunday’s final.

“That is unbelievable. I just remembered, yeah. First time I met Dominic was [when] I came here as a sparring partner, was No. 1-ranked in the junior rankings. I got invited by the ITF to come and be a sparring partner here in the Finals,” Tsitsipas said. “I think my first hit was with Dominic. It’s unbelievable, isn’t it? We [were] now facing each other in the final. It’s great. It’s fantastic. I met him for the first time. I think that year he didn’t do very well, but he kept coming every single year, which is a tremendous amount of respect from me for what he’s been achieving all these years.”

Tsitsipas’ success on big stages has not been a stunner this year. Even before triumphing in Milan last season, he advanced to his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Toronto. But he has climbed even higher this season, earning nine wins against Top 10 opposition, including four this week.

“I feel like my game is getting better over time, and I believe I’m really close on being crowned a Grand Slam champion. I know these are strong words that I say, but I do feel like I belong to be there,” Tsitsipas said. “I’m competing against one of the best players in the world, and the amount of effort and the amount of work I put every day deserves to have an outcome like this.”

The four-time ATP Tour titlist and year-end World No. 6 will have more eyes on him than ever after his memorable run at The O2. Last year, after winning the Next Gen ATP Finals, he reached his first Grand Slam semi-final just two months later at the Australian Open. There will be high expectations for Tsitsipas in 2020, but the Greek has not succeeded by looking too far ahead.

“I wish I could predict the future. I cannot predict the future. You think I could predict that I would be in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, first Grand Slam of the year? I was thinking that it might happen later… [it] came completely unexpected for me,” Tsitsipas said. “The thing is, if I put myself in a state of mind that I need to win this Grand Slam now, it doesn’t work this way. Rafa said it in the past: I’m not playing to win the tournament, I’m playing to win every single match that I’m about to go and play.

“So that’s how it works. You don’t want to travel too much in the future when you play a tournament, because it’s not always going to go the way you want it to go.”

But at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals, it couldn’t have gone any better.

For Dominic Thiem, the title clash at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals could be a preview of what’s in store for next season.

The Austrian narrowly fell to Tsitsipas in a third-set tie-break, with the Greek completing his transformation from Thiem’s London hitting partner three years ago to his conqueror on Sunday. Both men delivered a gripping match in what has quickly emerged as one of the most compelling rivalries on the ATP Tour.

Thiem now leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 4-3, with all of their meetings taking place in the past two seasons. Neither player has asserted dominance in the rivalry, giving him confidence that he’ll turn the tables in the near future.

“He played great today. He played great throughout the whole tournament. He’s the champion and he deserves it 100 per cent,” Thiem said. “I also think that he’s great for tennis because he has a very attractive game style, one-handed backhand, comes in a lot. Very beautiful technique, as well. It’s great that he’s up on the top and he’s going to fight for the big titles in the future.

“I’m also very sure of the fact that I can challenge him in every single match we’re going to play. I really hope that we’re going to have a lot of big matches coming [between] the two of us.”

Head up, Domi ❤️

You’ve had an unforgettable year ?#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/zcKDhslGmy

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 17, 2019

Thiem isn’t ruling out one of those big matches taking place in a Grand Slam final. With Thiem defeating Djokovic on Tuesday and Tsitsipas eliminating Federer in Saturday’s semi-finals, they both proved once again that they can upset the Big Three when they’re playing at their best. Having faced off in last month’s Beijing final and then raised the stakes with a title match at The O2, a championship clash in a Grand Slam would be the next logical step in their rivalry.

But it’s not just Thiem and Tsitsipas who have emerged as threats to the Big Three. With half of the Top 8 comprised of players ages 26 and under, the Austrian believes it’s only a matter of time before a new Grand Slam champion emerges.

“I think that for sure we can do it next year,” Thiem said. “We are all playing great tennis. Sascha, Stefanos, me, some other guys. I’m pretty sure that we’re going to see a new and young Grand Slam champion next year.”

Thiem has always excelled on clay, but his success on faster surfaces this year showed that he’ll be a threat anywhere he plays. He’s won 16 of his past 20 hard-court matches, including titles in Beijing (d. Tsitsipas) and on home soil in Vienna (d. Schwartzman). Although he scored his first ATP Masters 1000 title this March on the hard courts of Indian Wells (d. Federer), the Austrian felt his recent run of form is even more telling of his progress.

”Since the US Open, I’m super happy [with] how my game developed. Indian Wells, honestly, it’s a very slow hard court. It suits my game because it’s almost like a clay court,” Thiem said. “But here or in Vienna, Beijing, Shanghai, where I played really great tennis, they were surfaces where I was struggling big time in the past.

”Especially playing here in the final of [London] is an amazing result for me. Even though it’s a big and tough loss today, I still have in my head that I developed my game very good since a few months [ago].”

His current form isn’t the only thing that has helped him gain confidence. Thiem admitted struggling with illness at the start of the week and doubted if he could play at his best. But after producing four big wins at The O2, he said that discovering his ability to play through pain will remain with him for the rest of his career.

“I woke up on Tuesday morning feeling like crap and thinking about the worst stuff because I was feeling really sick. And then on Tuesday [night], I played this legendary match against Novak Djokovic and I got way better again with my body,” Thiem said. “That’s a big thing I’m taking away. Even in very tough situations, I can still play great tennis. It’s an amazing result for me, indoors, one of the fastest hard courts all year. I’m taking away a lot.”

For Dominic Thiem, the title clash at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals could be a preview of what’s in store for next season.

The Austrian narrowly fell to Tsitsipas in a third-set tie-break, with the Greek completing his transformation from Thiem’s London hitting partner three years ago to his conqueror on Sunday. Both men delivered a gripping match in what has quickly emerged as one of the most compelling rivalries on the ATP Tour.

Thiem now leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 4-3, with all of their meetings taking place in the past two seasons. Neither player has asserted dominance in the rivalry, giving him confidence that he’ll turn the tables in the near future.

“He played great today. He played great throughout the whole tournament. He’s the champion and he deserves it 100 per cent,” Thiem said. “I also think that he’s great for tennis because he has a very attractive game style, one-handed backhand, comes in a lot. Very beautiful technique, as well. It’s great that he’s up on the top and he’s going to fight for the big titles in the future.

“I’m also very sure of the fact that I can challenge him in every single match we’re going to play. I really hope that we’re going to have a lot of big matches coming [between] the two of us.”

Head up, Domi ❤️

You’ve had an unforgettable year ?#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/zcKDhslGmy

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 17, 2019

Thiem isn’t ruling out one of those big matches taking place in a Grand Slam final. With Thiem defeating Djokovic on Tuesday and Tsitsipas eliminating Federer in Saturday’s semi-finals, they both proved once again that they can upset the Big Three when they’re playing at their best. Having faced off in last month’s Beijing final and then raised the stakes with a title match at The O2, a championship clash in a Grand Slam would be the next logical step in their rivalry.

But it’s not just Thiem and Tsitsipas who have emerged as threats to the Big Three. With half of the Top 8 comprised of players ages 26 and under, the Austrian believes it’s only a matter of time before a new Grand Slam champion emerges.

“I think that for sure we can do it next year,” Thiem said. “We are all playing great tennis. Sascha, Stefanos, me, some other guys. I’m pretty sure that we’re going to see a new and young Grand Slam champion next year.”

Thiem has always excelled on clay, but his success on faster surfaces this year showed that he’ll be a threat anywhere he plays. He’s won 16 of his past 20 hard-court matches, including titles in Beijing (d. Tsitsipas) and on home soil in Vienna (d. Schwartzman). Although he scored his first ATP Masters 1000 title this March on the hard courts of Indian Wells (d. Federer), the Austrian felt his recent run of form is even more telling of his progress.

”Since the US Open, I’m super happy [with] how my game developed. Indian Wells, honestly, it’s a very slow hard court. It suits my game because it’s almost like a clay court,” Thiem said. “But here or in Vienna, Beijing, Shanghai, where I played really great tennis, they were surfaces where I was struggling big time in the past.

”Especially playing here in the final of [London] is an amazing result for me. Even though it’s a big and tough loss today, I still have in my head that I developed my game very good since a few months [ago].”

His current form isn’t the only thing that has helped him gain confidence. Thiem admitted struggling with illness at the start of the week and doubted if he could play at his best. But after producing four big wins at The O2, he said that discovering his ability to play through pain will remain with him for the rest of his career.

“I woke up on Tuesday morning feeling like crap and thinking about the worst stuff because I was feeling really sick. And then on Tuesday [night], I played this legendary match against Novak Djokovic and I got way better again with my body,” Thiem said. “That’s a big thing I’m taking away. Even in very tough situations, I can still play great tennis. It’s an amazing result for me, indoors, one of the fastest hard courts all year. I’m taking away a lot.”

Dominic Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas are contesting the first set of the title match at the Nitto ATP Finals on Sunday evening.

Tsitsipas came close to the first breakthrough, but Thiem came up with a powerful backhand at 1-2, 30/40. As rallies began to get drawn out, Thiem began to make inroads, but Tsitsipas – who saved 11 of 12 break points in his semi-final win over Roger Federer on Saturday – held firm in the seventh game, saving two break points with gutsy net play for a 4-3 advantage.

The 21-year-old Tsitsipas is the youngest tournament finalist since Juan Martin del Potro (21) in 2009 (l. to Davydenko) and the youngest player to make his debut and reach the final since Jim Courier (21) in 1991 (l. to Sampras). Thiem is guaranteed to finish a year-end best No. 4 in the ATP Rankings.

Infosys ATP Scores & Stats Comparison (Bold=Tournament Leader)