Dominic Thiem says he is taking small steps and hoping it will help him gradually rediscover his best tennis.
Thiem, a former world No 3, suffered a 7-6 (7) 6-2 loss to Lorenzo Sonego in the Miami Masters first round.
With that loss, Thiem’s record in 2023 plummeted to 1-8.
“Currently on my way back home! @miamiopen, thank you for the WC! Over and over again, it’s a fantastic event! I am already looking forward to returning to one of the most amazing cities! At the moment, it’s all about the small steps in my process. Step by step, I will work my way forward,” Thiem said in a message posted on his Instagram.
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Thiem experiencing a lack of confidence
The first set between Thiem and Sonego was an extremely tight set as the opener went into a tie-break after not a single break point was seen.
In the tie-break, Thiem opened a 6-5 lead and had the first set point.
Unfortunately for Thiem, he didn’t manage to convert it as Sonego realized his second break point at 7-6 to win the opener.
After losing the first set, Thiem’s game collapsed as Sonego earned back-to-back breaks to open a 4-0 lead in the second set.
Thiem managed to get one break back but Sonego broke the Austrian again in the seventh game, before serving out for the match in the following game.
“It was a tight first set. Unfortunately, after the tie-break, I lost my tension for a very short time, then I’m 4-0 down and only then can I get back into the game – the holes are just not good. The slight loss of concentration or the slight drop in tension was also the reason why I lost the second set. Of course, there is also a bit of a lack of self-confidence, and I have to make sure that I get that back,” Thiem said after losing to Sonego.
Thiem will now turn his focus on the clay season.
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