Fernando Verdasco upset Dominic Thiem 6-4 6-4 to secure his spot in the quarter finals for the first time in his career at the Paris Rolex Masters at the Accorhotels in Paris Bercy. Verdasco will face the winner of the third round match between Jack Sock and last week’s Vienna champion Lucas Pouille.
Verdasco held his serve at deuce in the fourth game after saving three break points. He drew the first blood breaking serve on his third opportunity in the fifth game. The Spanish player never looked back and held her next service games to close out the first set by 6-4.
Thiem fended off a break point to hold his serve in the first game of the second set. Verdasco went up a set and a break in the third game at 15. Thiem broke back in the eighth game at love but Verdasco converted his break point chance in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead earning a chance to serve out for the match. He closed it out on his first match point in the next game.
Verdasco now leads 2-0 in his head-to-head matches against Thiem. In their only previous head-to-head match Verdasco battled past Thiem in five sets at Wimbledon in 2015 (5-7 6-4 5-7 6-3 6-4).
Thiem has won only two matches in five tournaments since losing to Juan Martin Del Potro at last September’s US Open.
