Austria’s Dominic Thiem edged Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 for his first victory at this year’s ATP Finals on Wednesday.
Thiem can now book a spot in the semifinals of this elite year-end event with a victory on Friday over Belgium’s David Goffin, while Carreno Busta, who replaced injured World No. 1 compatriot Rafael Nadal, has been eliminated from the tournament after losing his opening match.
The fourth-ranked Thiem came into this Pete Sampras Group contest at the O2 Arena in London on Wednesday with a 4-0 career record against Carreno Busta, the World No. 10 and appeared headed for a routine victory when he broke serve twice en route to an easy first-set win.
The Spaniard hurt his cause with 11 backhand unforced errors in the opening set, but he came alive with his return game in the second to break Thiem once for a 2-1 lead and a second time to force a decider.
The two players traded breaks over the first six games of the third set, but Thiem got a critical break in the ninth and then finished off the match thanks to some big first serves.
The results:
Pete Sampras Group: Dominic Thiem bt Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
