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."
"At the end of the day, this relationship will end most likely with Belichick and Brady leaving together," Nick Dimengo, senior editor at FHM Magazine, told Cheddar.
Between Bells: A preview of Sunday's Golden Globes, the first major awards ceremony of the #metoo era. Plus, Rihanna and Kylie Jenner square off in a battle of the celebrity beauty brands. We're joined by Health, Racked, Mashable, TheGrio, CinemaBlend and more!
Meagan Martin, professional rock climber and American Ninja Warrior finalist, discusses her tips for staying healthy in the new year. She notes the importance of staying hydrated and having healthy meal replacements like snack bars to keep you full throughout the day.
Between Bells: Californians lining up for recreational marijuana, Hollywood's A-List women say 'Time's Up' on workplace harassment, and can Dems get a DACA deal? We're joined by Fast Company, Cannabis Culture, Bossip.com, TechnoBuffalo, Conservative Review and more.
While you were out partying this past weekend, World Cup Ski Jumper Abby Ringquist was competing in the US Olympic team trials for Nordic Ski Jumping.
After placing second in the competition, she joins Cheddar to tell us how she's helping other young women fund their big dreams.
John Graham, Speedo USA President, and Team Speedo USA swimmers Cullen Jones and Elizabeth Beisel talk the #GetSpeedoFit campaign and why water sports are better for your health.
Max Lippe and James Parker, cyclist and spokesperson for Electron Wheel discuss the product that turns every bicycle into an electric one.
There was a time when sports and politics rarely mixed, but that all changed in 2017. FHM's Nick Dimengo joins Cheddar with a look back at the biggest trends and stories from the year in sports.
After playing with the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 years, basketball superstar Kobe Bryant retired in 2016. This week, the Lakers honored the all-star by retiring not one, but two jersey numbers.
Under Armour delivered autographed Curry 4 sneakers by drone to fans over the weekend. StockX CEO Josh Luber explains how this promotion is resonating with fans, and how the sneaker retailer is performing.
