Federico Delbonis won a battle of nerves against Mischa Zverev on Monday. The Argentinian will be Dominic Thiem’s first opponent on Wednesday.
Dominic Thiem has another day off in Madrid on Tuesday – which the Austrian number one will use for attentive training. Why don’t you wait for a man who has what it takes to beat the greats of the tennis guild? Federico Delbonis, the Argentinian who defeated Mischa Zverev in three sets in his first match. Conceivably close in the tie-break of the third set.
the Argentinian had already been on a collision course with Thiem in 2018 – was thrown off course at his home tournament in Buenos Aires, but at the very last opportunity: In the semi-final of Aljaz Bedene, who lost the final against the Austrian.
In 2013, the left-hander really caught the eye when he defeated Roger Federer in the semi-finals in Hamburg. Delbonis had to play the Swiss again this year in Indian Welle, Federer managed to equalize the balance sheet, albeit again in a close match.
Thiem starts his first game in Madrid 2018 with a score of 21:6, against left-handed players it looked very good in 2018: Two victories over the unpleasant Guido Pella, Adrian Mannarino defeated Thiem in Australia, then Horacio Zeballos and Denis Shapovalov. There were problems against Fernando Verdasco in Rio de Janeiro and, no surprise, against Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo. If it goes well, he should also wait for Thiem in Madrid.
Delbonis is currently in 78th position in the world, he has won two tournaments in his career, both on clay: in Marrakech in 2016 and in Rio de Janeiro in 2014, and Federico Delbonis has already played against Dominic Thiem: in Gstaad war´s in 2015. At that time, the Austrian won the tournament in two sets. Something Delbonis was denied after his coup against Federer in Hamburg.