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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
Sport
Asharq Al-Awsat

Thiem ‘Definitely Back’ after Second Straight Win in Bastad

05 July 2022, Austria, Salzburg: Austrian tennis player Dominic Thiem celebrates his victory over compatriot Filip Misolic at the ATP Challenger Salzburg Open tournament in Salzburg's Volksgarten. (dpa)

Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem says he is "definitely back" after following up his first win in 14 months with a 7-6 (5) 3-6 6-4 victory over Roberto Bautista Agut at the Bastad Open.

The former world number three, who beat Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori earlier this week to snap a 10-match losing streak on the Tour, was sidelined for nine months after injuring his wrist in June 2021.

Prior to his win over Ruusuvuori, the 28-year-old had failed to win a match at any of the tournaments he played since he came back from injury in March, falling to 339 in the rankings.

"The win against Emil gave me confidence that I can compete against the best players in the world and today against Roberto," Thiem said in his on-court interview after his win over Spanish fourth seed Bautista Agut on Thursday.

"He is always such a tough opponent. I was expecting and hoping it would be a close match. Then when I won the first set in the tie-break I said 'Hey, I can win today.' I had the belief until the end of the match and the third set was really good.

"Two really top opponents, so if I can beat them I am definitely back. I am into the quarters of a really strong tournament, so I am happy. It is a process, but I am going the right way."

Thiem will face Argentine eighth seed Sebastian Baez in the quarter-finals later on Friday.

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