Former Grand Slam Champ Falls in Battle Final of Retirees

The inaugural Ischgl Trophy final delivered an exciting conclusion, with German-American Tommy Haas facing off against hometown favorite and recent retiree, Dominic Thiem. Haas, who retired in 2018 after a distinguished career, is 15 years older than his opponent at 47. After defeating fellow German Mischa Zverev to reach the final, Haas met Thiem on court for the first time in their careers. Here’s how the encounter unfolded on the court.

Player Strengths

In this matchup between two experienced athletes, both wielding one-handed backhands, neither player found an easy way to separate himself early. The backhand exchanges were particularly balanced, as both men showed comfort and control on that wing. Thiem entered the match fresher, more agile, and quicker around the court. His punishingly accurate serve, a weapon that helped him capture his lone Grand Slam title, remained a major strength throughout the contest. Haas, meanwhile, relied heavily on his own serving prowess to stay steady and apply pressure, with his first serve doing much of the heavy lifting. Where Haas truly stood out, however, was on the backhand side, as his accuracy and control consistently outshone the Austrian’s.

How Haas Found the Win

With neither man backing down on serve, and both holding comfortably for long stretches, the match was ultimately decided in the rallies and there were plenty of them. Long exchanges were common, particularly those featuring extended backhand slice battles, a beautiful sight when two one-handed backhands are on display. While Thiem’s trademark power was evident on nearly every groundstroke, it often appeared difficult for him to fully harness, especially from the baseline. His desire to overwhelm points with pace worked against him at times, as Haas’ smooth movement and impeccable footwork kept him alive in rallies and forced Thiem into uncomfortable positions.

Haas also gained a subtle yet decisive advantage that Thiem either failed to recognize or could not counter. While Thiem held the edge in raw speed and court coverage, Haas neutralized it by positioning himself right on the baseline whenever possible. By taking the ball early, particularly on returns and redirecting shots with precision, he consistently forced Thiem to defend on the run. That tactical decision allowed Haas to dictate the majority of points. His only real concern was avoiding unforced errors due to rust, but even there, he remained composed, often drawing mistakes from Thiem with deep, well-placed shots.

That ultimately proved to be Thiem’s downfall. His unforced error count was already creeping upward, and as Haas continued to apply pressure, those errors became more frequent. Haas finally broke through at 3–3, with Thiem’s inability to convert four break-point opportunities serving as the turning point. Although the Austrian won several impressive points at the net, he failed to capitalize consistently and never fully imposed himself on the match. In the end, Haas’ control, composure, and tactical discipline prevailed, as he closed out a beautifully played contest with a 6–3 victory.