Winston-Salem Open News: Dominic Thiem saved two match points to beat J.J. Wolf

Winston-Salem Open is the final event on the ATP tour before the beginning of the US Open next week.

Dominic Thiem had to dig deep to defeat J.J. Wolf as all three sets of the match went into a tiebreak. The 28-year-old Austrian upped his game and roared back from a group down to secure his victory after three hours and ten minutes.

After J.J. Wolf and Dominic Thiem won the first and second sets, the match was sent into a decider. Dominic Thiem took a 3-2 lead in the third set, but his momentum was broken as the game had to be stopped due to rainy weather.

The third set went into a tiebreak, and Dominic Thiem took a 4/1 lead, but J.J. Wolf won five consecutive points to roar back into the game and made it 6/4. 

However, Dominic Thiem saved the first match point he faced with an explosive winner and the second with a forceful forehand winner. He then fired a crushing forehand passing shot to secure his victory.

Dominic Thiem served 13 aces, won 75% of the points on the first serve and broke the serve of his American opponent four times from six opportunities to ensure his victory.

In contrast, J.J. Wolf served five aces, won 66% of the points on the first serve and committed five double faults.

In a post-match interview, Dominic Thiem said, "First of all, I'm super happy to get that win, my first win on hard courts since a very long time, since March '21. I guess. It was not easy at all today with the rain delay, coming back out there at 11:15 p.m. It was very late."

Former World No. 3 Dominic Thiem will face World No. 19 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the second round. The 31-year-old Bulgarian is the top seed at Winston-Salem Open and has received a first-round bye.

In another men's singles match of the day, Fabio Fognini booked a second-round spot after beating Dušan Lajović of Serbia in straight sets.

The 35-year-old Italian will lock horns with Jack Draper in the second round of the Winston-Salem Open on August 24.