Dominic Thiem won his first ATP match in more than 14 months on Tuesday, defeating Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(5) in the first round in Bastad.
Swedish success marked a turning point for the 2020 US Open champion who once stood inside the Top five before a wrist injury in June, 2021, sent him on the slippery slope.
The 28-year-old Austrian began his return to the Tour in April, losing six clay matches before finally breaking through this week.
He last won an ATP-level match in May, 2021.
“It’s a long time, My last victory was in Rome in 2021, it feels like a different world somehow,” the former No. 3 said.
“Many, many things happened. It was tough, but it was also a very good experience, I think, for life in general.
“I’m so happy that I got this first victory here today.”
Finland’s 43rd-ranked Russuvuori rode a 5-1 lead into a winning first set but was eventually overhauled by Thiem, who swept the last five games of the second set to square the afternoon on clay.
Thiem came through for victory in a final-set tiebreaker, saving eight of a dozen break points over nearly two and three-quarter hours.
The winner called the effort “a very difficult match.”
“I didn’t have a very good start and then I fought really well, but I had a really tough period with many losses and not many wins.
“It was really difficult to close out the match. I have to control the nerves a little bit better, especially when it gets to the end.”
The No, 339 next plays Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, the fourth seed. Sebastian Baez knocked off 2018 tournament winner Fabio Fognini of Italy.
Swiss qualifier Marc-Andrea Huesler dismissed cocky Dane Holger Rune 6-3, 6-4.
Main photo:- Dominic Thiem records his first win in over 14 months in Bastad – by ©ATPTour.com
