Eight years ago, a 21-year-old Dominic Thiem claimed his second ATP Tour title in Umag. On Monday, the Austrian won his first match at the Croatian ATP 250 event since that victory.
Thiem battled past Argentine qualifier Facundo Bagnis 6-4, 7-5 to reach the second round of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag.
“I knew that it was going to be hard work against him. He’s a great player, especially on the clay court,” Thiem said in his on-court interview. “He had two victories here already in the qualies, which is never easy. It was his third day in a row, so he knows the conditions, he knows how to play at night, how the balls are bouncing. So it was a lot of hard work today, but now I’m super happy that I won that match.”
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The former World No. 3 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings saved all six break points he faced — including two on set points at 4-5 in the second set — against the lefty to advance after two hours and three minutes. Thiem will try to reach his first tour-level quarter-final since April when he faces top seed Jiri Lehecka.
“We just practised yesterday together,” Thiem said. “It’s his best year by far. He’s a great player, very young still, playing so fast. So [I will] try to use my experience, try to play a great match.”
In other action, 17-year-old Dino Prizmic earned his first ATP Tour win. This year’s Roland Garros boys’ singles champion eliminated another Croatian wild card, Duje Ajdukovic, 6-1, 6-2 under the watchful eye of national icon Goran Ivanisevic.
“The feeling is amazing,” Prizmic said. “I want to say thanks to everyone who came here to support this match. It means a lot to me and this is a big experience for me.”
Another Croatian, former World No. 3 Marin Cilic, was unable to win his first match since suffering a right knee injury in his first tournament of the season. Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli eliminated Cilic 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 52 minutes.
“It’s such an honour to share the court with him,” Cobolli said in his on-court interview. “I really enjoyed this match and now I’m ready for the next one on Wednesday.”
Other Monday winners were Taro Daniel and Alexei Popyrin. Daniel eliminated 17-year-old Spaniard Martin Landaluce 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 and Popyrin ousted Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 7-5.