Kooyong Classics: Djokovic smashes Thiem at comeback

Successful return of Novak Djokovic: In his first match after a six-month break, the 12-time major champion defeated Dominic Thiem in two sets in a showdown in Melbourne.

As if he had never been away: Novak Djokovic clearly defeated Dominic Thiem 6:1 and 6:4 on his return to the professional tennis scene. If only in the context of the “Kooyong Classics”, the preparation tournament at the former venue of the Australian Open. At that time, however, the event took place on grass, and now, of course, it is played on the same surface as at the Australian Open. And it’s the six-time Melbourne champion Djokovic.

“It feels great,”explained the Serbian after the match against the Austrian number one. The father of two had his last appearance at the Wimbledon tournament against Tomas Berdych:”I’ve been waiting for this moment to play a match, obviously for six months,” Djokovic didn’t want to spare any praise for Thiem either,”and I played against a great opponent today, the number five in the world.” The match in Kooyong was an excellent test to see that. Radek Stepanek is a new member of the former world number one team.

For Thiem it was the first reunion with Djokovic after the quarter-finals of the French Open 2017. There, the Lichtenwörther had left the court for the first time as the winner, and was subsequently defeated in the semi-finals by Rafael Nadal. Thiem had started last week in Doha with three wins without losing the set, but could not make it to his semi-final against Gael Monfils due to fever. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old has recovered from his illness, as Thiem reported on Facebook.

However, the workday was not over for Thiem or Djokovic with the game in Kooyong: both players competed in the evening (local time) and in Melbourne Park for the next edition of the Tie Break Tens.