Thiem reaches first ATP semi-final for 14 months

Dominic Thiem on Friday reached his first ATP Tour semi-final since May 2021 with a straight-sets victory over Peru's Juan Pablo Varillas in Gstaad.

The former US Open champion won 6-4, 6-3 and will next face either second seed Matteo Berrettini or Pedro Martinez as he looks to make a first final since the 2020 ATP Finals.

Thiem missed the second half of last year due to a wrist injury and lost his first six Tour matches this season.

"I failed to serve out at (5-2 in the first set), but it was also the nerves a little bit because it is my first semi-final in one and a half years," said Thiem, who also reached the quarter-finals in Bastad last week.

"I need the points to go back up the rankings. I was happy I was able to break the nerves."

Sealed in STYLE! ??@domithiem defeats Varillas 6-4 6-3 and secures his spot in Saturday’s semi-finals#SwissOpenGstaad pic.twitter.com/uK62zx1L1G

Thiem, currently ranked 274th but now set to return to the top 200, will be hoping to win an 18th ATP title this weekend.

"Tomorrow I can go into the match free, trying to do my best," the 28-year-old added. "When I travelled to Bastad last week I didn't expect to reach the quarter-finals there and then the semi-finals here.

"It is really, really good and I am happy with the progress."