Thiem ends Federer's clay court return, Halep edges closer to top spot

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Dominic Thiem saved two match points and ended the first chapter of Roger Federer's return to clay court tennis with a come-from-behind 3-6, 7-6 (13/11), 6-4 win and reach the Madrid Open semi-finals on Friday.

The 37-year-old Swiss had returned this week to the surface for the first time in three years, his last clay court match was a loss to Thiem in Rome in 2016.

Thiem, the 2018 Roland Garros runner-up and winner of the Barcelona title last month, prevailed in two hours and ten minutes having saved two match points in a 15-minute second set tie-break.

Dominic Thiem (L) of Austria shakes hands with Roger Federer of Switzerland after their Madrid Open match in Madrid, Spain, May 10, 2019. /VCG Photo

Federer said he was happy to have made his clay court comeback.

"I feel very good about my game. I thought I had some good matches here," the 20-time Grand Slam champion said. "I feel good on the clay right now."

Federer now has the option to take up a wild card being held for him next week in Rome. Otherwise, his next clay event will be the French Open where he last played in 2015.

"The match was so close," said Austrian fifth seed Thiem who had also defeated Federer in the Indian Wells final in March. "I was really lucky to save the match points.

"Roger was playing unbelievable on the clay. I'm very, very happy to win. He is so special, maybe the best ever in tennis, he has something different."

"Every time you play him, every point is a big challenge. I tried to play the tiebreaker point by point."

Romania's Simona Halep plays a strong shot against Switzerland's Belinda Bencic during their Madrid Open match in Madrid, Spain, May 10, 2019. /VCG Photo

Meanwhile, Simona Halep of Romania closed in on a return to the top of the world rankings after beating Swiss Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-0 to advance to the women's final.

Halep, currently number three in the world, will reclaim the number one ranking should she win her third title at the Caja Magica.

Bencic had defeated Halep in their last two matches, but the reigning French Open champion, who lifted the trophy in Madrid in 2016 and 2017, came through in just under two hours.

Halep awaits either Dutch seventh seed Kiki Bertens, a finalist in Madrid last year, or 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens.

"It's such a nice feeling to be back in the final. I really enjoy playing in Madrid, it motivates me," Halep said.

Source(s): AFP