Dominic Thiem & Roger Federer feature in ATP's top 2 Grand Slam Comebacks of 2020

The ATP has recently been unveiling its 'Best of 2020' lists for various categories, such as top five matches of the year, top five comebacks of the year, top five upsets of the year etc. In the list for best Grand Slam comebacks of the year, Dominic Thiem's tussle against good friend Alexander Zverev in the 2020 US Open final, and Roger Federer's five-set quarterfinal escape against USA's Tennys Sandgren at the Australian Open, occupy the top two spots.

ATP had released the latter half of the Grand Slam comebacks list a few days ago, which featured Andy Murray, Andrey Rublev and Fabio Fognini for their triumphs from two-sets-to-love down. These players certainly showcased plenty of fight, but they paled in comparison to Roger Federer's Houdini act in Melbourne.

Tennys Sandgren and Roger Federer

Despite struggling with a groin injury, Roger Federer saved seven match points in the Australian Open quarterfinal against the big-hitting Sandgren. Federer had already been forced to fend off a spirited challenge from Australia's John Millman in the first week of the Open, and he found himself in deep trouble again as he trailed his American opponent by a big margin.

By the fourth set, Roger Federer's knees looked shot and his spirit looked deflated. At one point in the match, Federer was even handed a code violation for an audible obscenity - a very rare occurrence for him.

But just when everyone in the arena thought the Fed Express had been derailed, the 39-year-old used the support of the Melbourne crowd to make a classic comeback.

Roger Federer saved three match points on his serve at 4-5 in the fourth, and then went on to save four more match points in the penultimate tiebreaker with some bold play. In the end, the Swiss Maestro was able to grab the tiebreaker 10-8, and subsequently the deciding set as well.

Dominic Thiem's win over Alexander Zverev in the US Open final named the Best Grand Slam Comeback of the Year

Dominic Thiem poses with the 2020 US Open trophy

World No. 3 Dominic Thiem, who has also been nominated for the 2020 Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, has had a breakout season at the top of the game. And his most important win of the year was the one against Alexander Zverev in the US Open final, where he came back from a two-sets-to-love deficit to become the first non-Big 3 Major winner since Stan Wawrinka.

It was a watershed moment for not only Dominic Thiem but for tennis in general, but it almost did not happen. Zverev was quick to take the first two sets of the match, with Thiem's nerves preventing him from playing his best tennis.

The 6'6" German hit a big ball from his forehand and was able to take the initiative early on, as he moved Dominic Thiem around the court with his serve and groundstrokes.

Down a break in the third set, Thiem finally started getting back into the match, with his forehand showing signs of life. The Austrian was able to take the third and the fourth sets as he hit some powerful groundstrokes to push Zverev back behind the baseline.

In the decider, however, Dominic Thiem struggled with cramps which allowed Alexander Zverev to regain his momentum. The German even served for the match at 5-3, but was unable to close it out.

In the winner-takes-all tiebreaker, the moment of truth finally arrived at 6-6. The duo played a scintillating point before Dominic Thiem unleashed a scorching passing winner from his forehand to set up championship point.

The Austrian fell to the ground a minute later, as a Zverev unforced error gave him his first ever Slam title.