Early in the fourth set of Felix Auger-Aliassime’s protracted battle with Dominic Thiem at Australian Open 2024, a bird interrupted proceedings.
The feathered friend tiptoed on court before setting aloft, then taking its time to partake in what might be described as a victory lap (or flight) around Margaret Court Arena.
Who knows what it was thinking, but the visitor seemed rather free.
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Tennis players strive to play with freedom but when confidence wanes, tension instead often rises and things can get complicated.
“Sometimes,” Auger-Aliassime began post match, sport “sucks”.
And he was the winner.
Adelaide’s Thanasi Kokkinakis uttered a similar phrase last year in the wake of his five-set loss to Andy Murray in Melbourne from two sets up, on the same court.
Auger-Aliassime outlasted Thiem 6-3 7-5 6-7(5) 5-7 6-3 in four hours, 59 minutes.
The classic began Monday night in Melbourne and finished past 1:40am so didn’t quite catch Kokkinakis and Murray’s finishing time after 4am.
“It’s crazy these matches,” said Auger-Aliassime. “You go through all the emotions.”
Prior to Monday, Auger-Aliassime and Thiem had only faced off once before — at AO 2020. It’s not exactly a bygone era, but it felt like a long while ago indeed, given their subsequent paths.
Auger-Aliassime was fast rising and Thiem played at Melbourne Park as the fifth seed.
The latter won that day in straight sets and proceeded to give Novak Djokovic his sternest test in the last six years at the Australian Open, pushing the now 10-time champion to five sets in the final — having been up two sets to one.
He would, however, land that maiden Grand Slam title later in the year at the US Open.
An admitted loss of motivation, plus a wrist injury, led to Thiem’s ranking spiral.
For Auger-Aliassime, a knee injury contributing to his ranking dropping to its current position of 30th – his lowest since 2019 – from a high of world No.6.
The duo each lost in the first round at majors three times in 2023, so one was bound to benefit from a morale-boosting victory.
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It proved to be Auger-Aliassime, despite a hefty third-set wobble that saw him relinquish a 5-2 lead in the tiebreak.
“I didn’t want to fail mentally,” said the 23-year-old who shares a birthday with Roger Federer. “I didn’t want to disappoint myself with my effort.
“I didn’t want to have any regrets leaving this court today, so even if it was frustrating, the way it went, the third set, I thought, ‘You need to be tough, you need to stay strong’ and I’m happy I did because now I’m really happy.”
Auger-Aliassime opened the door to 92nd-ranked Thiem when he erred on a forehand down the line with his foe well out of position at 5-3 in the tiebreak. Auger-Aliassime’s jaw really did drop after the miss.
Rather than creating three match points, Auger-Aliassime served at 5-4. Still not a bad position, especially given the Montrealer’s ability to garner free points on serve. What followed were a double fault, then a forehand long with Thiem stranded.
Thiem’s putaway at the net officially forced a fourth set and Auger-Aliassime left the court for a bathroom break.
MATCH RECAP: Auger-Aliassime v Thiem
Asked what he was thinking at that time, he replied: “In all honesty, not a lot of good things.
“We try to be good actors when we are on the court, we try to stay calm,” he said. “We are also facing the opponent, we try to show a strong demeanour and body language but leaving the court after the third set, I had to regroup but it was tough.
“I was really seeing myself win the third set. I was playing a great tiebreak. Just two poor points in a row and then the match turned around.
“But that’s tennis.”
Not a cliché, but the truth. Even over hours of play, one or two points can swing the pendulum.
A reeling Auger-Aliassime dropped his opening service game of the fourth.
There were a few more twists, however. Thiem needed two attempts to serve out the fourth set, for example.
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The final flurry, however, took place to start the fifth. Auger-Aliassime fended off two break points with gutsy play, subsequently breaking for 2-0, and held on.
His build-up to AO 2024 must have left his fans — and possibly himself — uncertain. He withdrew from the United Cup due to a lingering knee problem that required an injection in November, but returned in Auckland.
There he admitted to experiencing forehand wobbles in a 7-6(9) 7-5 loss to Germany’s Daniel Altmaier in the first round.
Months earlier, Auger-Aliassime repeated as the winner indoors in Basel to signal a potential resurgence.
Thiem’s own pre-AO activity suggested an eventful contest.
His ranking not high enough to earn a main-draw berth in Brisbane, the 30-year-old contested qualifying. His opening match against James McCabe paused when not a bird but a poisonous snake slithered onto court. Thiem also saved three straight match points on McCabe’s serve.
He reached the main draw and then faced Rafael Nadal in the Spaniard’s comeback singles match. Nadal triumphed in straight sets.
At one stage of his career, Thiem prevailed in six of eight five-setters. Now he has lost four in a row.
Auger-Aliassime thus progresses at the venue where he earned his lone three Grand Slam wins last year.
A match point came his way, too, against Daniil Medvedev in the 2022 quarterfinals.
If both win their second-round contests — Auger-Aliassime plays French qualifier Hugo Grenier — a third-round rematch against twice finalist Medvedev follows.
Grenier needed five sets as well, and saved two match points, to beat compatriot Alexandre Muller.
“(Monday) was a great match, one that I will definitely remember,” said Auger-Aliassime. “I would be even happier if it was a final and I was resting now but it’s only the first round so I’ll try to recover well and get ready for the next matches.”
A tough task, but Monday’s win might be the start of something.