Fernando Verdasco’s top-10 days may be well behind him, as the former world number seven now sits at 43rd in the world rankings, but in today’s battle of generations against 21-year-old Dominic Thiem, the Spaniard’s experience prevailed in five tight sets.

The first set was a 43-minute affair with a 7/5 score that favored Thiem who won all of his service games. Verdasco, despite showing strength on his serve until the deciding moments of the set, had one bad game, the 11th. Serving at 5/5, the former Wimbledon quarterfinalist fell behind in the count 0-40. The Spaniard even managed to save one break-point, before getting broken by Thiem, who served out the set in the very next game.

Verdasco, however, did not let the poor 11th game get to him, as he came back even stronger on his service games in the second set. The Spaniard not only did not face a single break-point, but also made the best of the opening he had in the 10th game. Thiem, serving to stay in the set, trailed 30-40 before an unforced error wrapped up the set for his opponent.

With the match level at one set apiece, the third set kept the trend of comfortable holds, mostly for Thiem, as Verdasco struggled in the fifth, seventh and ninth game, saving break points in order to avoid losing the games, before the Austrian finally seized his chance at 5/5. From deuce, the one-time Grand Slam semifinalist double faulted to bring another break opportunity for the 32nd seed who won the game with a forehand winner. Serving for the set, Thiem held from 30 to take a two sets to one advantage.

Tension grew in the fourth set, as Verdasco faced a break-point in his first game up – the opening of the set. He, however, held this game and every other he served in the frame, breaking his opponent in the sixth game atm15 to go up 4/2, consolidating from love right after. After the Austrian held his service to keep his deficit within a single break, Verdasco shut the door in his face, acing his way to a love hold for the set.

The fifth and final set was the first Thiem served ahead. And he capitalized on the theoretical advantage of having his opponent trailing him after every hold, as he broke Verdasco in the fourth game putting him only three games away from the third round. However, the tides turned one last time. The world number 30 failed to consolidate his break and build momentum from it. A pair of holds later, with the set tied at 4, Thiem raced to a 40-15 lead in the ninth game, but did not close it out, allowing Verdasco to come back and brake. With the odds now on his favor, the Spaniard did not even blink with a backhand winner to seal the deal, he completed his comeback.

The 5/7, 6/4, 5/7, 6/3, 6/4 win propels Verdasco back to the Wimbledon third round, after losing his opener last year to Marinko Matosevic. The world number 43 now faces Roland Garros champion and world number four Stan Wawrinka for a place in the second week of the Wimbledon. The Spaniard leads the head-to-head, 2-1.