'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Match details
Fixture: (3) Dominic Thiem vs Alex de Minaur
Date: 6 May 2021
Tournament: Mutua Madrid Open 2021
Round: Third round (Round of 16)
Venue: Madrid, Spain
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: €2,614,465
Match timing: 11 am local time, 2.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Dominic Thiem vs Alex de Minaur preview
Dominic Thiem will lock horns with Alex de Minaur in the third round of the 2021 Madrid Open on Thursday.
Thiem's comeback match against Marcos Giron in the second round lasted exactly 57 minutes and 57 seconds. The Austrian showed that he is still a force to be reckoned with on clay, despite having not played on the surface for over seven months.
Thiem was particularly effective on serve, winning 81% of his first-serve points and 75% of those played on the second. In fact, he lost just eight service points altogether.
The accuracy of Thiem's serve (he got 80% of his first serves in) also meant that Giron didn't get much of a look at his second serve. Such numbers well for the 27-year-old this tournament, given that the ball travels through the air quickly in Madrid.
Thiem's return game was solid as well, and he broke Giron as many as four times. The Austrian played a neat match overall, striking 20 winners while coughing up 14 unforced errors.
Alex de Minaur, meanwhile, beat Lloyd Harris in his second-round match on Tuesday. The Aussie led 6-2, 3-0 when Harris was forced to retire due to injury.
De Minaur had outlasted Jaume Munar in the first round, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. With two wins under his belt, the 22-year-old comes into the match against Thiem well-versed with the conditions in Madrid.
Dominic Thiem vs Alex de Minaur head-to-head
Dominic Thiem leads Alex de Minaur in the head-to-head by a margin of 3-0. The Aussie has won only one set against Thiem so far.
Dominic Thiem vs Alex de Minaur prediction
Alex de Minaur is likely to offer more resistance to Dominic Thiem than Marcos Giron, but he doesn't really possess the skills needed to outplay the Austrian.
De Minaur has exceptional foot speed and retrieval ability, which he used to good effect against both Munar and Harris. Thiem, however, is one of the fittest on tour himself, and the Aussie's defense is unlikely to be a big difference-maker on Thursday.
While Thiem's serve worked well against Giron, De Minaur can expect a few lulls in the Austrian's accuracy as the match stretches on. But it remains to be seen if the 22-year-old can take care of his own serve throughout, given that the shot has never been a big concern for Thiem.
All things considered, Thiem's raw power and relentless hitting might be a little too hot to handle for De Minaur.
Prediction: Dominic Thiem to win in straight sets.
