Dominic Thiem hits a backhand against Alex de Minaur in a men’s singles quarter-finals match at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 9, 2020.
NEW YORK: Second seed Dominic Thiem bulldozed Australia’s Alex de Minaur in straight sets Wednesday to reach the US Open semi-finals.
The Austrian defeated the 21st seed 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in just 2hr 4min inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I had a great feeling from the first moment on,” said Thiem, gunning for his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows.
“My feeling was that first set, especially until I broke him for the second time, was really intense, very long rallies.
“The first and second set second I guess it looks way easier on the scoresheet than it was actually,” he added.
The 27-year-old Thiem hit 11 aces compared to just one by the 21-year-old de Minaur.
Thiem won a whopping 83 per cent of first serve points, while de Minaur, playing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final, could only manage 49 per cent.
Thiem was able to withstand most of what de Minaur threw at him, getting 81 percent of returns in.
The powerful Austrian also smashed 44 winners while De Minaur mustered only 17.
Thiem will play third-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev in the last four for a place in Sunday’s final.
The disqualification of Novak Djokovic for accidentally hitting a line official with a ball during the last 16 means the US Open will crown a first-time Grand Slam winner this year.
Fifth seed Alexander Zverev of Germany faces Spain’s 20th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the competition’s other semi-final.
The men’s semi-finals take place on Friday.
