Three more service games - at a minimum - will be enough for Milos Raonic to reach the semi-finals.

Here's the first. A 30-0 lead has a blip when he strides forward and miscues a volley. But he is undeterred, batting the ball off to safety when he goes on the attack in the next point.

Thiem sticks his strings on a powerful first serve, although it is not enough to direct the ball back to Raonic's side. 

Those in the know have long said 23-year-old Thiem is a Grand Slam winner in the making. And on this evidence he has got the mental toughness to go far. He could have crumbled when Raonic started flexing his muscles, but has responded confidently. Another neat and tidy service game keeps him within touching distance.

A few stragglers come back late from the bar, prompting a couple of pleas from the umpire to hurry up. Come on Carlos, those queues can be a nightmare.

Milos Raonic lets the pause affect him - momentarily at least - losing the first point before making Thiem oscillate across the baseline quicker than the pendulum on your nan's old clock. 

Two spanking serves are punctured by a tasty Thiem winner for 40-30, only for the Canadian to see out another hold. Still no sniff of a break point for Thiem.

David Law
Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

That's a very good hold in the end for Thiem.

Another Raonic break here would be 'thanks and goodnight' for Thiem. But the eight seed hauls himself out of a hole, forcing Raonic into a wide forehand before wrapping up a gutsy hold. That's the bagel avoided...

A few worried faces in the Thiem camp. The sort of expression I have when I think I've left the front door unlocked. The Austrian goes 40-15 behind, staving off the first break point when he goes on the attack to bat down an overhead.

More of the same will do, and that's what he does. Almost a carbon copy of a point to force deuce...

David Law
Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

Thiem actually has a good record after losing the first set - he's come back 16 times from it this season, the best on the Tour.

If they ever brought back capital punishment, then death by a Milos Raonic serve could be an option. Catching one on the bonce would cause serious damage.

Dominic Thiem avoids a hit but can't bat them off with his racquet. An easy hold for the Canadian fourth seed, who gallops forward - maybe for the first time tonight - to swat away the winner.

Dominic Thiem doesn't get much comfort from a comfort break. After no danger of a break of serve in the opening set, the Austrian loses it in the very first game of the second. No wonder his mum, watching from the stands, looks worried about her boy. 

And that match - at the ATP Masters 1000 event in August - ended in a 6-3 6-4 win for the Canadian.

He's halfway to another...

Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on Radio 5 live sports extra

To give credit to Raonic, he went after the points a bit more in that tie-break.

David Law
Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

Tie-breaks must be a sickener to lose. You work hard and give everything for 53 minutes... then come away with nothing. Thiem left the court after that set, he must be gutted.

Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on Radio 5 live sports extra

This match means so much to both players - and so it should. Raonic pumped his fist and shouted 'let's go' when he went to set point there.

Raonic pounds forward, hammering down a smash close to the net. I'm sure there's a dent in the court. That's how hard he hit it. Thiem holds off a first set point, but he doesn't hold out for long. Raonic, as he often does, batters down an ace to clinch the opener.

Image source, Reuters

Four straight points for Thiem. Raonic needs to stop the rot. That he does. Big time. He forces Thiem into going wide with a forehand, then crashes down an ace. Then another. Back on serve...

David Law
Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

There's still no intention from Raonic to get up to the net. Instead he wants to slug it out with one of the best baseline players in the world.

Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on Radio 5 live sports extra

Thiem is playing smart. He's benefiting from some cheap errors from Raonic.

Ace down the middle for Raonic. Or is it? Thiem goes to Hawkeye... He's right. And it pays dividends as he wipes out that early advantage. Then it gets even better for the Austrian. Raonic fails to hit the target with another first serve, Thiem taking advantage to go 4-2 ahead.

First blood for Raonic. Sloppy play from Thiem give the Canadian a mini-break, before he cranks his side of the scoreboard into action with a sweet backhand that shimmers down the line.

Image source, AP

Big moment... Big serve. Thiem hits the straps at the perfect time, batting an ace down the T. And when Raonic can't evade the tape on the next point, it means one thing - tie-break time.