ATP: With the magic of 2016 – Thiem/Novak win at Kitzbühel kick-off

Dominic Thiem and Dennis Novak have successfully started the Generali Open 2018: The two Austrians defeated Roberto Carballes Baena and Jaume Munar in the match tiebreak.

In the end, the mood was Davis Cup on the Center Court in Kitzbühel: especially when Dominic Thiem and Dennis Novak scored six points en suite in the match tiebreak, from 3:6 to 9:6. Especially when Jaume Munar finished the match with a spectacular double mistake: The ball from the Spaniard’s frame almost touched the Novak waiting on the T-line.

4:6, 7:6 (4) and 10:7 was the result, with which Thiem/Novak won a place in the round of 16, where they could meet Philipp Petzschner and Jürgen Melzer. Everyone involved would look forward to this match, including the spectators who defied the heat on Tuesday at the Kitzbühel Tennis Club.

Thiem/Novak started well, leading fast 3-1, then Thiem had problems with his serve, two breaks and the loss of the first set. In the second round the Austrians missed three set points on the serve of Carballes Baena, but were safe in the tiebreak.

“In the first set, the serve left me completely, then I went all the way through, then things got better,” said Thiem after the match. On Wednesday the two mates will each be in the singles: Thiem against the winner of the match between Martin Klizan and Sebastian Ofner, Novak against Dusan Lajovic.