"That’s why I work hard every day" - Dominic Thiem elated with his progress after reaching his 5th quarterfinal in 2022 at Antwerp

Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem defeated Francisco Cerundolo in a thrilling three-set match, 6-1, 1-6, 7-5, to move into the European Open quarterfinals in Antwerp on Thursday.

In his post-match interview, an elated Thiem stated that matches like these were the reason he trained hard every day.

“That’s why I work hard every day, to be able after two hours with a very close score, to play good shots, to play good tennis, because that is when it matters most,” he said.

Thiem has now made his fifth quarterfinal of 2022 and seems to be getting closer to the level which saw him win the 2020 US Open and reach multiple French Open finals.

"It was a very intense and close match” - Dominic Thiem after his win against Cerundolo

Dominic Thiem plays a forehand in his semi-final match against Andrey Rublev at the 2022 Gijon Open

Dominic Thiem got his second win over Francisco Cerundolo in as many weeks to make the last eight in Antwerp.

Speaking after the encounter, the former World No. 3 analyzed the "intense" match, saying he played a great first set but was fortunate to break back immediately when he found himself a break down in the third.

“It’s always difficult and interesting to play somebody two weeks in a row'" said Dominic Thiem. “It’s a little bit strange, but I came out playing really good, 6-1 in the first set, but I know that he is a great player, so it was obvious in my mind also that It was not going to continue that way."

“Then I had a bad start to the second set, he took advantage, he came into the net… and the third set was an open game, 50/50. When I was a break down, luckily straightaway [I broke back]. It was a very intense and close match,” he added.

Thiem will square off against Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals on Friday and was full of praise for the Pole, calling him one of the world's best over the past two years. Hurkacz holds a 3-0 lead in the head-to-head against Thiem, a record the Austrian is very much aware of.

“[I'm] 0-3 against him. For two years, he has been [one of] the world’s best, especially indoors," Thiem continued. "Unbelievable serve, we just played three or four weeks ago in Metz, where he had a pretty easy win against me, and I hope I can make it more difficult for him tomorrow and be able to make another step ahead.”