Smudge226 wrote:

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BBC News reports Dan saying;

"I just had to hang in there," world number 67 Evans said.

"I knew I'd have to do a lot of running. I had to try to force my game on him, come forward and I did that in the end pretty well."

Sounds like he started to come to the net and shorten rallies at some point in the second set I assume. In the first he was certainly staying behind the baseline returning backhand slice returns to Thiem mostly, from what I see. Wouldn't come forward.

Anyway, over the moon for the guy, well done Dan, hard work now paying off in spades.

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 TBH he didn't get much chance to come into the net in the first set as Thiem played a blinder, but then seemed to take his foot off the gas a bit once that first set was under his belt.  I also think the long close match he played yesterday came into play as the match went on and he found himself in a battle he did not expect.  But respect to Dan, he stayed focussed, defended really well and made Thiem generate a lot of his own pace probably exacerbating any tiredness on that side of the net.

For those who don't follow Twitter, this was a quote from Nathan Rooney (who coached Liam last year - not sure if he still does).

It was posted YESTERDAY.


@Evo151216 vs Dominic Thiem @SydneyTennis tomorrow. I Think we will be seeing Evo get his 1st win against an ATP top 10 player #allezEvo

No I disagree, Dan played the perfect game given the circumstances. His length, even in defence was superb. When Thiem tried to outlast him, Dan was more consistent varying pace and spin to induce errors.

A more consistent first serve and Dan would have wrapped up the second set much quicker. A throughly enjoyable performance. Playing this way Dan on his day and with a bit of luck is a threat to all but Fed, Andy and Novak. The harder he works the luckier he will get.

I didn't see Dan's match so I can't say aye or nae to anything here.

But I would say that whilst players such as Dan and Kyle, indeed Andy and Jo too and often others often absolutely rightly get huge praise I personally am well prepared to admit or discuss if and when they get lucky breaks to some extent through say injury effected opponents or self distructing or form collapsing from opponents. It can give a fuller picture, there always being other players across the net.

Again, I didn't see so am talking generally here.

SF:  (1) Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares CR 7 (4+3) defeated Juan Sebastián Cabal & Robert Farah (COL/COL) CR 60 (30+30) by 6-3 7-6(4) 

*****

Final:  (1) Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares CR 7 (4+3) vs Wesley Koolhof & Matwé Middelkoop (NED/NED) CR 121 (62+59)