Thiem Triumphs On Home Soil In Kitzbühel

Dominic Thiem (photo: Brigitte Urban)

KITZBÜHEL, August 3, 2019

Dominic Thiem clinched his first title on home soil, winning the 2019 Generali Open in Kitzbühel. The top seed from Austria defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain 7-6(0), 6-1 in a rain-interrupted singles final on Saturday.

Thiem saved all six break point he faced, capitalizing on two of his own four break point chances to prevail after one hour and 38 minutes.

“It is already one of my most beautiful moments ever in my tennis career,” said Thiem. “It was one of the most emotional moments because I have a special connection with Kitzbühel. I was here for the first time when I was six on this huge centre court. I was watching the tournament many times.

“I got my first wild card here and now to finish the tournament as the champion is incredible. I reached one big childhood goal today.”

By lifting his 14th ATP Tour career trophy, his third of the season following his triumphs in Barcelona and Indian Wells, Thiem collected in Tyrol €90,390 in prize money as well as 250 ATP Ranking points.

Oswald/Polasek take doubles crown

Early in the day, Philipp Oswald of Austria and Filip Polasek from Slovakia clinched the doubles title. The second seeds defeated the all-Belgian duo of Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-4, 6-4. The encounter lasted 69 minutes.

“This is a really special moment in my career,” said Oswald. “I played a junior tournament here in Kitzbuhel 20 years ago and I have always been dreaming about this moment. Today, it finally came true. The crowd was unbelievable and the atmosphere was unbelievable. It is one of the greatest matches I have ever played.”

Oswald now owns 10 tour-level doubles trophies. Polasek took his 12th ATP Tour doubles trophy.

”It is a dream come true. I was fighting hard since my comeback last year in July and I was hoping that I can, at least one more time in my life, hang the trophy over my head and it happened. It couldn’t be any better,” said Polasek, as quoted on the ATP Tour website.

“I had an issue in 2013 and I had to pretty much retire… For three years, I was coaching. I was a head coach in an academy, coaching kids from 8 to 14 and then it got a bit better and I decided to come back… I wouldn’t have expected [the comeback] to have been as good as it has been. [It is] beyond the limit. With everything that has happened in the past six weeks, it is just more than I can ask for.”

The organizers of the ATP 250 event announced a record-breaking number of 51,500 spectators attending this week’s tournament. Thiem will return to Kitzbühel in 2020.

Photo Gallery (by Brigitte Urban)