By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, April 29, 2017

 

Dominic Thiem defeated world No. 1 Andy Murray, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, and will face nine-time champion Rafael Nadal in the Barcelona final.

Photo credit: Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell

Dominic Thiem spent two hours unleashing his flame-thrower forehand two to push Andy Murray into the corners.

When it mattered most, Thiem used touch to played over the top seed’s head.

Watch: Rafael Nadal's Top Clay-Court Achievements

On match point, Thiem tossed a clean lob winner toppling a cranky and apparently wounded Murray, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, scoring his first victory over a world No. 1 and barging into his first Barcelona final.

"It's the first win (over a World No. 1), so it's really something special," Thiem told ATP World Tour.com. "But it's also the first win over a Top 10 guy this season. There are many positive things to take from today's match. For me personally, it's the best victory this year so far.

"I went down in the third set when he broke me in the first game. But the way I came back mentally was a huge step forward today."

The 23-year-old Thiem whipped 41 winners, controlling key exchanges with his massive forehand. Thiem cranked 25 forehand winners defeating Murray for the first time in three meetings and reaching his 12th career final.



The fourth-seeded Austrian’s reward for his first win over a world No. 1 is a final meeting with nine-time champion Rafael Nadal.

The reigning champion continued to control the court named in his honor denying all five break points he faced dispatching Argentine left-hander Horacio Zeballos, 6-3, 6-4, in 94 minutes.

A week after Nadal captured his unprecedented 10th Monte Carlo championship and record-setting 50th career clay-court crown, he will play for his 10th title in Barcelona.

The third-seeded Spaniard slashed his forehand from all areas dictating play in the opening set.

Recalling flashes of the form he showed shocking Nadal, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6), 6-4, in the 2013 Vina del Mar final, Zeballos lifted his level considerably in the second.

Stepping closer to the baseline, the world No. 84 forced the reigning champion into scrambling positions at times during a tight second set.

The nine-time Roland Garros champion capped a physical rally spinning a forehand strike down the line. Zeballos’ reply clipped the top of the tape and he dropped to his knees in disappointment facing match point.

When Zeballos stuck a final forehand into net, Nadal was through to his fifth final of the season and 10th career title match in Barcelona.

Afterward Zeballos took a selfie with the King of Clay.

A fierce Thiem wanted much more than a photo-op with Murray, who was tugging at his arm from the start and apparently bothered by the elbow issue that knocked him out of Miami.

Lacking is typical sting on serve Murray was often pushed into defensive positions by Thiem, whose sweeping swings came with menacing intentions.

For the first set-and-a-half, Thiem bullied the world No. 1 around the court. Cranking deep drives into the corner, Thiem broke right out of the box and broke again as he went on to snatch the opening set in a half hour.



Thiem, who had been so sharp, botched a pair of forehands in succession gifting the break and a 5-3 lead. Murray served out the first set to force a decider.

Though the Wimbledon champion continued to press, Murray never looked physically right and showed his ornery side repeatedly barking at his box in disgust.

Winless in two prior meetings with the Scot, Thiem played with more aggression and sense of calm in the decider. Reduced to sometimes spinning in his first serve at second serve speed, Murray paid the price as Thiem torched his returns winning 12 of 21 points played on the Scot’s first serve in the final set.