This match is too early to make such a call (Thiem taking the first set 6-2, Medvedev 5-3 in the second with the break), but Thiem may have just given the Russian this match there at the start of this second set.

There was the scratchy umpire “interference” (aka shitty call) where Thiem secured the break in the first set, but what happened subsequently is simply not coincidence.

The umpire did not let Medvedev challenge his serve on that BP, which ended-up costing him the game, giving Dominic the break, to serve at 4-2.

First, Thiem was heard suggesting to the umpire that he let Daniil challenge the call (the umpire ignored the Austrian), and secondly, after the Russian pretty much tossed-in the towel on that first set, getting broken at 2-5 as well, he thus allowed Thiem to start the second set with the ball.

Thiem was broken at 15 and then Medvedev consolidated at love. The Russian was rattled from that first set drama. Thiem felt guilty about the poor ruling.

That is the story of a soft peddler.

He’s gifted Daniil the second set. How sweet.

The Austrian has such a beautiful game but such a lousy championship fuck-you frame of mind.

There’s a lot of twists and turns in this match still to come, most likely and Dominic can still impose his will and higher quality, but I smell a botch, the faint likelihood that the one-hander’s made a mess of this match.