GSTAAD, August 1, 2015
Four countries were represented in the semi-finals at the ATP 250 event in Gstaad, which took place on the Swiss national holiday.
Third seed Dominic Thiem defeated the tournament’s second favourite Feliciano López a third time in their third tour meeting, winning 6-3, 6-7, 6-3. In a highly emotional affair with a couple of spectacular rallies, the 21-year-old Austrian gained the decisive break in the seventh game of the third set hitting a wonderful forehand passing shot. López hit nine aces but also produced the same amount of double faults. Thiem saved all three break points he had to face and converted his first match point after one hour and 54 minutes to reach his fourth final on the ATP World Tour.
Feliciano Lópze still has to wait for his first victory against Thiem
Dominic Thiem celebrated his seventh consecutive match win
„It’s unbelievable, I am really happy at the moment. It was a hard match,” Thiem told afterwards and seems to remain in good physical conditions after his seventh consecutive match win. “When you are winning, everything feels to go easily. The joy about the victories overweighs tiredness. I will be ready for tomorrow. You do not play a final every day. That’s something special,” the 21-year-old Austrian said and enjoys a special support this week in Gstaad.
“I see my family for only about 30 days per year and it’s great to have them here attending the matches. They also enjoy the nice tournament here. I feel really comfortable having them here,” Thiem said and already heard that he will be the number one seed at an ATP World Tour event for the first time on home soil in Kitzbühel next week.
“It’s not the worst thing that Goffin withdrew from the tournament. It’s something special to experience this situation in Kitzbühel. But I am still in Gstaad and my focus remains on the final here,” he stated.
Thiem will face David Goffin for the title on Sunday. Gstaad’s top-seed knocked off fifth favourite Thomaz Bellucci for the first time in their second tour meeting, winning 6-4, 6-2. Goffin won 82% of his first service points, didn’t face a break point and capitalized on three of his own to seal victory in only 61 minutes.
Thomaz Bellucci
David Goffin reached his second final of the season, following s’Hertogenbosch
Goffin will face Thiem for the fifth time on the tour. He won three previous encounters but was forced to retire in their last meeting in Marseille earlier this season.
Tennis TourTalk spoke to Goffin after his semi-finals:
David Goffin aims at winning his third ATP Tour title
