Zverev wins the racket-smashing battle, Thiem wins the match

Dominic Thiem scored a much-needed win on Wednesday night in Rotterdam, where he got the best of good friend Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 during first-round action. But the battle within the battle involved racket-smashing, and Zverev was arguably more impressive in that department.

The 19-year-old German smashed his stick on the court four times after getting broken in the third set, making sure it had crumpled to smithereens. Thiem also required the use of a different weapon of choice after things went poorly for him during the early stages of the match.

Thiem’s frustration boiled over early:

Not to be outdone, Zverev responded with a vengeance:

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