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The Spaniard saved a match-point

Thiem reached the finals without a lost set, and in the last two matches he showed improvement. He won the last three head-to-heads against Busta whose record in the finals is 2-2, but it's also 0-13 against Top 10 players

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Busta

He was losing the set and 4-2 in the second. He twice made a comeback from falling back on a break, he saved a match-point at 4-5 and then he made a series of nine won games. The young Ruud dictated the tempo with his forehand, he recorded numerous winners, but mentally he fell apart after the missed chances, and paid his toll of inexperience and youth.

- I saw Ruud for the first time and I was impressed. He's a very talented player. He outplayed me in the first set, but in the second one I held my ground. Tactically he played smart. Luckily, I saved a match-point and the battle brought me to this win - the Spaniard praised his young opponent, but now he's up against a Top 10 player:

- I'm lucky because of the finals, but I'm up for a tough challenge. I hope I'll find my way to the title.

His record in the finals is 2-2. Last year he won Moscow and Winston-Salem. The problem is that against Top 10 players his record is 0-13.

Thiem

He definitely caught the swing. After a weaker start of the season and shaky editions at tournaments, adjusting to new conditions, he won the last two matches convincingly. And it was against very serious players, on clay. He left Ramos at five games, despite losing the serve twice.

- I'm raising my game with every match. These conditions suit me. My hits are strong on clay, I can dominate. I could do that in Rotterdam and at Australian Open.

Against Busta his record is 4-1, including the futures. Even though he won all last three matches in the last two years, the Spaniard always took the set first. In New York he could have reached the fifth set.

His record in finals is 7-3, 26-4 on clay last and this season against players outside of Top 10.