Gijon Open 2022: Dominic Thiem vs. Marcos Giron Tennis Pick and Prediction

TennisSection previews the 2022 Gijon Open as Dominic Thiem takes on Marcos Giron in the second round on Wednesday, October 12th, 2022.

Will Dominic Thiem’s resurgence gather some pace at the Gijon Open? Or will he come unstuck in the second round when he takes on the dangerous floater in Marcos Giron? This is far from a cakewalk draw for the Austrian as he looks to end his season on a high. Who will prevail?

It has taken Dominic Thiem the best part of six months to win consistently, and he has found the right formula in recent weeks to do so. Having reached his first final of the season at the Rennes Challenger last month, Thiem has replicated that form on the indoor hard courts of the ATP Tour, making the Round of 16 in each of his last two tournaments. His performances at the Tel Aviv Open in which he lost a close three-setter to eventual runner-up Marin Cilic has lifted his spirits. And the former World No. 3 fired a signal of intent at the Gijon Open when he demolished Joao Sousa 6-2 6-0 in his opening-match.

Marcos Giron, for his part, came from behind to defeat Albert Ramos Vinolas 4-6 6-4 6-2. The pair were locked in a tight battle in the first two sets as Ramos Vinolas benefitted from the slow-playing conditions at the Gijon Open. But Giron stepped up to the plate in the third set, applying enormous pressure in almost each of the Spaniard’s service games and was rewarded when he secured a double break in the fifth and seventh game of the set.

Dominic Thiem leads Marcos Giron 1-0 in their head-to-head. The Austrian won their meeting at the Madrid Masters in 2021 in straight sets. At this time last year, Thiem was a forgotten man, but the turnaround has been excellent from recovering from a serious wrist injury and looking like a man who is on mission to recapture his old form. Thiem is one of the most underrated players indoors. He owns victories over the likes Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer at the ATP Finals. I have been taken by surprise with his form in the last few weeks and he is getting closer to his best level at the Gijon Open.