Thiem leads Austrian charge into Astana Open quarterfinals as home favorite Bublik exits

Ravi Ubha

Only a few points have made the difference in many matches this week in the indoor conditions at the Astana Open, something noted by Dominic Thiem.

The 2020 US Open champion’s own two encounters have certainly been close.

After a tight win over Juan Pablo Varillas in the first round, Thiem won an even tighter duel against Marcos Giron on Saturday, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (2).

If there was one shot that altered the deciding tiebreak, it might have been Thiem’s blocked, one-handed backhand pass on the backfoot for 2-2.

Giron — bidding to oust a second consecutive Grand Slam winner after his scalp of Stan Wawrinka in a three-tiebreak thriller — didn’t win another point.

«It was a very close match, again,» said Thiem, competing in his first tournament since a retirement exit due to stomach inflammation at the US Open in late August. «Here with these conditions there are many close matches. So many tiebreaks as well. I was expecting a really tough one.

«I started very well, very aggressive, so that was good. Second set he started to play much better and in the third it was a very close battle. I saved some break points, he did and I played a very good tiebreak.

«This was the best part of the match.»

Those breaks points he referred to saw the 82nd-ranked Giron save one at 3-3 in the decider — with a potent first serve — and Thiem fending off two in the ensuing game.

Thiem reached a first hard-court quarterfinal since Antwerp last October.

Prior to leaving New York, Thiem defeated Alexander Bublik in round one.

A rematch failed to materialize in the capital of Kazakhstan when Thiem’s compatriot, Sebastian Ofner, overcame home favorite Bublik 6-4, 6-2 in the final match of the day.

That despite fans chanting Bublik’s name amid Kazakhstan flags in the stadium and trumpeters adding to the ambience.

Bublik — appearing in his opening match of the week following a bye — was always playing catch up after dropping serve to start things off.

Two double faults to begin the second set paved the way for another Ofner break. Near the conclusion at 1-5, Bublik struck back-to-back passing shot winners — after hitting underarm serves.

He hit an underarm serve again and won that point, too, as Ofner’s return found the net.

Bublik smiled and so did the fans but there was no comeback against Ofner, who now meets Thiem. Jurij Rodionov makes it three Austrians in the quarterfinals.

Top seed tested by qualifier

Top-seed Tallon Griekspoor overcame Japanese qualifier Sho Shimabukuro 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-1 to begin proceedings on center court.

The first break came at 1-1 in the third set when Shimabukuro — set to eclipse his career-best ranking of 146th despite the loss — double faulted. Griekspoor then claimed the final four games in 12 minutes. 

It wasn’t the lone time Shimabukuro double faulted on a crucial point, also producing one to end the opening tiebreak which he led by a mini-break at 4-3.  

Griekspoor had saved two set points at 4-5 in the first, with an ace and another first serve. 

«I didn’t play my best match but I think he played a really good match,» said the Dutchman, now 13-0 this season against players outside the top 100. 

Griekspoor admitting to feeling a «bit of pressure» playing as the top seed at an ATP event for the first time.  

«So even more happy to get through and have a chance to do things better (on Sunday),» he added. 

Griekspoor graciously signed numerous autographs post match and even gave one young spectator a used-up racket. 

He meets Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals after the fifth-seed beat Nuno Borges 6-4, 7-6 (4). 

The American continued his fine serving at the National Tennis Center. 

After registering 19 aces in three sets against Alexei Popyrin in the first round, Korda tallied 12 against Borges and conceded just 15 points on serve. 

He did, however, have to rally from 4-2 down in the second set. 

A wrist injury halted Korda’s early season momentum but the 23-year-old has now made quarterfinals in back-to-back weeks.