Tennis star Dominic Thiem won his first-ever Grand Slam title on Sunday, after a thrilling five-set victory over Alexander Zverev that capped off a 2020 U.S. Open tournament like no other.
"It feels great," Thiem told Cheddar from Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday. "What happened last night was a match that had everything [including] huge, huge drama at the end. I think it was a super great finals."
After losing the first two sets to 23-year-old German phenom Zverev, Thiem battled back to win the next two sets and, ultimately, close out the fifth set in a tiebreaker.
Adjusting to playing in a pandemic, Thiem admitted that taking the court without fans in the stands was a "little bit sad."
"Fans just give amazing energy to us," he continued. "It's one of the nicest things an athlete can experience…to enjoy an atmosphere of 23,000 people in this nice Arthur Ashe Stadium, but it is what it is."
This victory is the first Grand Slam title won by any men's player that isn't named Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, or Novak Djokovic since 2016, ending a dominant streak of 13 straight tournaments.
While Federer and Nadal chose to skip the tournament over coronavirus concerns, Djokovic was ejected from the U.S. Open when he inadvertently struck a lineswoman after hitting a ball in frustration towards the fence. He later profusely apologized for the incident.
"I think it's very good for men's tennis if there are fresh faces in the winning list of majors," Thiem said. "Younger players like us, I think we really have the potential to continue the story of what Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic started."
As for the celebration, the 27-year-old Austrian says he plans to fly back to Vienna to have a "big party" with family and friends, before looking ahead to the French Open set to begin on September 21.
"The French Open is one of my favorite tournaments," Thiem said, knowing the big three will be there to greet him. "Already now, I'm super pumped to play there."
Jared Smith, sports betting analyst from Pickswise, joins Cheddar Bets to break down the biggest games of the college football weekend, including those that put Ohio State and Oregon's Playoff spots on the line.
Sponsored by BetMGM
Cognitive healthcare platform BrainCheck recently raised $10 million in a Series B round. The platform offers neurologists a new way to detect and care for brain disorders like Alzeheimer's, and brain injuries like concussions. BrainCheck CEO Yael Katz joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Three-time Grammy Award winner Darius Rucker joins Cheddar News to discuss his new apparel line, NFL x Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics, a new line of officially licensed NFL apparel inspired by Rucker’s love of music, football, and fashion.
Jill Wagner is joined by Baker to talk about kids and vaccines: we finally know how many young kids are getting vaccinated. Plus, Democrats are working on a Plan B for paid family leave. And the salad chain Sweetgreen goes public.
Beginning Christmas Day, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers, Kings, and Sparks, the Staples Center, will go by the name Crypto.com Arena after a massive $700 million deal with AEG. Steven Kalifowitz, the chief marketing officer at Crypto.com, and Todd Goldstein, the chief revenue officer at AEG, joined Cheddar to talk about the historic changeover in naming rights and what other changes that fans entering the arena might expect.
The iconic Los Angeles Staples Center will sport a new moniker, Crypto.com Arena, beginning Christmas Day. AEG made the naming-rights deal with Crypto for a historic $700 million.
Jill is joined by “Friend of the Pod” Mosheh Oinounou to talk booster shots, and whether “fully vaccinated” will eventually mean three shots, not two. Plus, the latest on the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. And the research is in: we know now the perfect way to hug. Also, Jill and Mosheh debate whether Airpods are passé.
The Green Bay Packers are selling shares of their stock for just the sixth time in its 102-year history. The Packers are the only major professional sports team in the U.S. that is publicly owned and not-for-profit. Now, it is offering 300,000 shares at $300 apiece; however, fans who become shareholders will not have much power, as the Packers' stock is not technically a stock. Washington Post sports reporter Des Bieler joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Jill is joined by Baker Machado to talk all things infrastructure: where will the money go and who’s in charge? Plus, Sesame Street has its first Asian-American muppet. And a trailer for the trailer for Spiderman. Huh?