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US Open winner Thiem, Zverev advance to 2nd round; Alex de Minaur and Cilic knocked out

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 9/29/2020 11:26:56 AM

New Delhi, Sep 28 US Open 2020 champion Dominic Thiem started his French Open campaign on a perfect note, overcoming the big server Marin Cilic 6-4 6-3 6-3 in his first round clash. Austria’s Dominic Thiem, who has been the finalist here in the last two years, beaten by 12-time champion in both the clashes, will be hoping to continue his maiden Grand Slam win at the Flushing Meadows with a Roland Garros title here this time around. Cilic, a former US Open champion himself from 2014, made things difficult for Thiem with some aggressive tactics but faltered at crucial moments. Thiem broke the Cilic serve at 4-4 in the first set and then came from 0-40 down to seal the opening set. Using his powerful single-handed backhand to damaging effect on the heavy claycourt, Thiem dominated the second set. The 27-year-old lapsed briefly to trail 0-2 in the third but switched on the afterburners to reel off five games in a row before 40th-ranked Cilic stopped the rot. Thiem had to save a break point when he served at 5-3 and claimed his fourth win in four meetings with Cilic as the Croat netted a return off a second serve. US Open runner-up Alexander Zverev overcame a slow start to launch his French Open challenge with a 7-5, 6- 2, 6-4 victory over Austrian Dennis Novak.