Thiem On Narrow Tsitsipas Defeat: ”It Shows Me That I’m Here’

After losing a decisive tie-break to Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday in the Wimbledon opening round, Dominic Thiem maintained a positive outlook. Following the match, a 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-6(10-8) win for the Greek, Thiem’s tournament is over — but he feels his comeback to the top of the ATP Tour is just beginning.

“Obviously it was a great encounter, and to me, I’m leaving with [my] head up,” the 29-year-old said in his post-match press conference. “It kind of showed me that I’m still there. The quality was very, very good. The fighting spirit was really, really good.

“This match showed me a lot of good things that I’m still here, still able to compete with the big boys of the game. Obviously it’s tough, but, well, a tie-break in the fifth is like a penalty shootout. All credit to him as well, how he played in the breaker, and how he saved that break point in the fifth was just unbelievable.”

While Thiem and Tsitsipas also played a final-set tie-break in Madrid earlier this year — again won by Tsitsipas — the Austrian felt more positive about their most recent Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

“I needed that, because today also somehow felt different than in Madrid, for example, because the quality was really there today,” said the Austrian, who is now knotted with Tsitipas 5-5 in their series. “How I was feeling on the court in general was just how it should be, and that what makes me happy also looking to the next weeks.”

With his grass-court season now behind him, Thiem is excited to build his game further as the year continues.

“Today definitely I found [my level], and I’m hoping to keep it as well, on any level, on any surface,” he said. “The way I played and the way I stepped on court today, that’s just the only way it should be. I’m trying and working hard to keep it like that on all the remaining year.”