Jordan Thompson converted on his seventh match points to upset top seed Alexander Zverev 7-5 4-6 7-6 (7-2) in a thrilling 3-hour and 40-minute at the Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel in Los Cabos. The match finished after 1 a.m.
Thompson set up a final against Casper Ruud in Saturday’s final. The Australian player fought back from 0-6 0-3 down before saving three match points against Alex Michelsen in the quarter final.
Thompson won the first set, which featured five break points. Zverev earned the first break to open up a 2-0 lead. Thompson saved four break points in the third game before breaking serve to love to draw level to 2-2. Both players traded breaks in the fifth and sixth games to draw level to 3-3. Thompson broke serve for the third game in the 12th game to win the first set 7-5. Zverev earned a break in the fifth set to take a 3-2 lead and did not face any break point to win the second set 6-4. Both players went on serve until the 10th game, when Thompson earned five break points which doubled as match points at 6-5. Zverev saved them to hold serve after seven deuces. Thompson won six consecutive points from 0-1 down to take a 6-1 lead in the tie-break and sealed the win on his seventh match point.
“It does not feel effective. It was over three and a half hours. It was just a great match and I just competed until the end. I am pretty tired”, said Thompson.
Casper Ruud beat defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 7-6 (7-4). Ruud saved five set points in the second set. Ruud did not drop a point on his first serve and broke serve in the seventh game to win the first set 6-4.
Ruud came back from 0-40 down to save three set points at 4-5. The Norwegian player rallied from 15-40 to fend off two more set points in the 12th game. Ruud raced out to a 4-0 lead in the tie-break with two mini-breaks. Tsitsipas won three consecutive points from 1-5 down to claw his way back to 4-5. Ruud sealed the tie-break 6-4 on his first match point.
“It was a really close match, especially in the second set. I was fortunate to save a few set points and hold him off. I was just a bit lucky, and in the tie-break I played really well from the beginning, so I am very happy with the win”, said Ruud.
