Dominic Thiem is showing signs of a resurgence as he continues his comeback from a right wrist injury. The Austrian won a battle of former Top 10 players against Richard Gasquet on Wednesday at the Moselle Open.
Former World No. 3 Thiem clawed past the former World No. 7 6-3, 7-6(3) to reach the second round in Metz. After advancing to the final of an ATP Challenger Tour event last week in Rennes, the 29-year-old has now won five of his past six matches at all levels.
“It was a very difficult challenge as always when you play against Richard. Also lately [he’s] played well,” Thiem said in his on-court interview. “He came here in good shape, so it’s a very good sign for me, I’m very happy about it.
“After five tough matches in Rennes, to pick it up here with slightly different conditions [has been good], so I’m very happy with my first match back here.”
The No. 182 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings converted four of the eight break points he earned. He also rallied from a break down in the second set to triumph after one hour and 47 minutes and set a second-round showdown against second seed Hubert Hurkacz.
Sebastian Korda also advanced on Wednesday in Metz, courtesy of a 6-3, 7-6(6) victory against #NextGenATP Italian and No. 3 seed Lorenzo Musetti. Korda, a finalist at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals last year (l. to Carlos Alcaraz), took the opening set without facing a break point and then recovered from a 0-2 hole in the second.
From 4/5 in the tie-break, Korda won four of the final five points to become the first man to advance to the quarter-finals in the singles draw. He will face either Italy's Lorenzo Sonego of French wild card Gilles Simon next.