Djokovic rallies to beat Thiem

On match point, Djokovic used a serve and volley combination to seal the comeback 6-7 (10), 6-0, 6-2 victory.

Another high-profile figure who has lost his magic touch of late, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, was watching from courtside and must have sympathised.

A few weeks back, the WTA Finals in Singapore came to an enthralling end with a resurgent Dominika Cibulkova summing up her most consistent season by beating new World No.1 Angelique Kerber to lift the WTA Finals trophy.

Djokovic looked determined to reassert his supremacy here, though. Another title would equal Roger Federer’s record of six.

Djokovic lost the No. 1 ranking to Andy Murray last week, but he can earn it right back in London.

He advances further than Murray, having won at least two round-robin matches.

There was more one way traffic in the third as the 29-year-old ensured a winning start in his group, which is named after Czech legend Ivan Lendl.

The Serb, who is trying to regain the world number one ranking from Britain’s Andy Murray, won 6-7 (10-12) 6-0 6-2.

“I thought I played very well in the second set especially, but the third as well”, said Djokovic.

Thiem still had to work hard on serve to take the set to a tiebreak and two stunning passing shots off each side brought up three set points at 6-3 for the Austrian debutant. Oh, what pressure does to a player.

“The high standard of results and success I’ve had the last couple of years probably has taken its toll”, Djokovic told the press Friday. But Djokovic himself raised the level of his own game to counter the Austrian’s resurgence.

Perhaps he knew it.

The world No 2 was only hit with a warning after his projectile went in the direction of coaches Boris Becker and Marian Vadja.

“Dominic started very well and he definitely deserved the applause”, said Djokovic.

Austrian Thiem had never won a set in three previous matches against Djokovic, but took the opener after a weird tie-break.

The 25-year-old broke in the second game of a first set which he won with minimum fuss. I managed to get a break in that opening game. “After that I was able to regroup and play very well”.

“When I step on the court I will have a little more confidence and feel better about myself”.

However, the tournament rookie will have been encouraged by the 12-time major champion’s struggles since becoming the eighth player to claim a career grand slam at Roland Garros – and those issues were prevalent in the opening set.

Dominic Thiem was eliminated in the second round of the 2016 BNP Paribas Masters and was in danger of dropping out of the ATP Finals race all together.

“It’s obviously going to be a tough match for Marin to play him now when he’s in this form but it’s the group stage and you can be a little bit more relaxed”.