Open de Nice Cote d’Azur, France

Men’s Final: [CR24] Leonardo Mayer (ARG) vs. [CR42] Dominic Thiem (AUT)

Both players were filled with anxiety and excitement. Thiem was excited at the prospect of winning his first ATP singles title and Mayer was excited in anticipation of winning his second ATP singles title.  Each player was also anxious for the very same reason, winning the title. The tension was evident in their game as neither player was able to sustain play at a high level; yet, there was no lack of effort.  Each player worked desperately to control their emotions and stay focused long enough to win the match. Experience favored Mayer, plus the fact that he had easily won their only ATP World Tour encounter on clay.

Yet, Thiem has matured and is now a much better player. If Mayer doubted that, his battle in the first set should have clued him in to Thiem’s mental and physical improvement.  Although Mayer had opportunities to win the second set, he failed to convert on any of his break chances. When you know how hard it is to get to a final, you may sometimes get lost in thought, forgetting that you need to execute your shots. When you are young, it is easier to negate the doubts and go for your shots.  Thus, at a crucial moment, Thiem played with conviction and elevated his game. Thiem’s defeat of Mayer 6-7(8), 7-5, 7-6(2) gained him his first ATP singles title.