By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, May 1, 2016
In a fiercely-fought final, Philipp Kohlschreiber edged Dominic Thiem, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (4) to capture his third career Munich title.
Photo credit: BMW Open by FWU AG
Friendly fire produced a dramatic finale and familiar champion in Munich today.
In a fiercely-fought Munich final, Philipp Kohlschreiber edged Dominic Thiem, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (4) to capture his third career BMW Open championship.
Contesting his fifth Munich final, Kohlschreiber leveled his record in ATP finals to 7-7 prevailing in a match that offered stretches of pulsating shotmaking from both men, who are good friends and sometime practice partners.
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Kohlschreiber is so comfortable on the MTTC Iphitos red clay, he regards the court as his living room.
Pushed to the very edge by the third-seeded Thiem, Kohlschreiber played with a bit more poise and control in the final-set tie break to squeeze out a thriller. Kohlschreiber also ruled Munich in 2007 and 2012.
"So many people support me here it's such a very special thing to win here," Kohlschreiber told the crowd afterward. "Dominic thank you for this final. One day, I will retire and you will have a chance to win this tournament because you are already such a great tennis player... Thanks also to Dominic's team it's a great friendship to have you on tour."
Credit Thiem for a spirited battle.
Playing for his third title of the season, Thiem saved seven set points in the first set then fought off two championship points forcing a third-set tie break. Thiem, who spent two hours, 14 minutes more on court than his opponent in reaching the final, tried to force the issue in the final tie break but could not crack a calm Kohlschreiber.
"I think it was a very exciting final for the fans here," Thiem told the crowd. "It is painful to lose the final, but all together it's a beautiful tournament and I will leave this tournament with lots of good and very positive memories. The true winner is Philipp Kohlschreiber, he played a great final."
A chilly overcast Munich afternoon compelled some fans to wear parkas and other to huddle beneath blankets.
Facing off for the second time in a year, the finalists wasted no time taking big strikes in an entertaining opening set.
They exchanged love breaks in the second and third games. A Thiem double fault gifted a second break and 3-2 lead to Kohlschreiber.
The 5'10" German does not hit as heavy as the 22-year-old Thiem, but Kohlschreiber effectively used his anticipation and accuracy to sustain the lead until serving for the set at 5-4. Thiem fought off three set points in that 10th game and when Kohlschreiber's drop shot flirted with the top of the tape before plopping back on his side, Thiem broke back to level after 37 minutes.
Another exchange of breaks in the 11th and 12th games saw Thiem lift his level to force the tie break. The 15th-ranked Austrian saved two more set points then showed his speed running down a deep lob and flicking back a low backhand. Kohlschreiber had a clear look at an inside-out forehand, but netted that shot as a tense set escalated into the tie break.
Thiem took charge racing to a 4-1 lead. Kohlschreiber used his guile and touch, ladling a beautiful drop shot winner and drawing a forehand error for 5-all. Thiem staved off a sixth set point when Kohlschreiber barely missed a backhand return down the line and saved a seventh set point plastering an inside-out forehand winner.
On his eighth set point, Kohlschreiber closed a tremendous fight of a first set as Thiem's forehand down the line crashed into the tape.
Prevailing in a physically-demanding 62-minute set, Kohlschreiber went to work trying to close his third Munich title.
One foot was in the doubles alley when Thiem rammed a forehand winner down the line for double break point. Forcing the German to hit off his back foot, Thiem drew a netted backhand breaking for a 4-3 second-set lead.
A heavy inside-out forehand helped Thiem consolidate. On his second set point, Thiem crunched another heavy kick serve out wide to level after one hour, 43 minutes. Thiem served with more authority in the second set, smacking 4 aces in the 39-minute set.
Slashing a sharp backhand pass crosscourt helped Kohlschreiber earn break points in the sixth game of the decider. Thiem is a highly-skilled all-court player, but his overhead let him down a few times today. In the first set, he tried guiding a few smashes into the open court rather than hitting through that shot and got burned by Kohlschreiber passes.
Soaring for a high lob Thiem sailed a smash wide as Kohlschreiber broke for 4-2.
Serving for his third Munich title, Kohlschreiber scattered a smash and dragged a backhand wide to fall into a triple break point hole. Bouncing on his toes like a boxer empowered by the fight, Thiem showed his wheels running down a tough drop shot and pushing a forehand reply, breaking at love for 4-5.
That sequence sent Thiem's younger brother and coach Gunter Bresnik leaping from their seats throwing fists toward him. Thiem fought off one championship point with an aggressive inside-out forehand and saved a second championship point coaxing a Kohlschreiber backhand error. He navigated that crisis holding for 5-all.
Deadlocked at 4-all in the tie break, Kohlschreiber cracked a forehand down the line. The heavy kick serve wide on the ad side to open the court is one of Thiem's favorite patterns. Kohlschreiber knows it and was sitting on that serve. Shortening up his backswing, he blasted a forehand return winner down the line for two more championship points.
Chasing down a Thiem drop shot, Kohlschreiber angled his own forehand reply then blocked a backhand volley into the open court closing an intense battle in two hours, 31 minutes.
Kohlschreiber raised his Munich record to 28-9. A year after losing a Munich final thriller to Andy Murray, 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-7 (4), Kohlschreiber looked happy at home wearing the traditional leather pants awarded to the champion.