Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers and for the second time this spring when they meet again in the quarterfinals of the French Open on Tuesday.
Djokovic is sweeping the head-to-head series 5-0–including 11-1 in total sets–after destroying Thiem 6-1, 6-0 in the recent Rome semifinals. Dating back to their round-robin clash at the 2016 World Tour Finals, Djokovic has won their last four sets 6-0, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0. This stretch follows Thiem’s lone successful set, which he took 7-6(10) last fall at the O2 Arena in London before getting clobbered in the next two. This is also a rematch of last year’s Roland Garros semifinals, in which Djokovic dominated 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 on his way to lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for the first time in his career.
The Serb’s 2016 success in Paris came as no surprise, because he dominated the entire first half of the season before a third-round Wimbledon loss to Sam Querrey touched off a prolonged slump that still may not be over. The 2017 campaign, on the other hand, has been a struggle. Djokovic is a relatively modest 24-6 with no titles since January 7 (Doha), and he followed up his Rome win over Thiem by losing to Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 in the final. So far this fortnight he has defeated Marcel Granollers, Joao Sousa, Diego Schwartzman, and Albert Ramos-Vinolas, needing five sets to get past Schwartzman in addition to a trio of straight-set victories.
Thiem is an awesome 21-4 on the slow stuff this year, which is the biggest–and basically only–reason why he is No. 3 in the race to London. The seventh-ranked Austrian won Rio de Janeiro and reached finals in Barcelona and Madrid. He has been the most dominant player other than Nadal through four rounds, having blown out Bernard Tomic, Simone Bolelli, Steve Johnson, and Horacio Zeballos.
Speaking of Nadal, his lone clay-court loss came against Thiem in the Rome in quarterfinals. The Spaniard was physically spent by that point and the story was the same for Thiem when he took the court against Djokovic one day later, managing all of one game.
“It was a combination of everything,” the 23-year-old said of his recent loss to the world No. 2. “I played finals in Madrid before and then already in the first two matches of Rome I felt that somehow I’m getting more and more empty. Then against Rafa, I played with the last percents. It was amazing match, and the next day I was just done.”
“I don’t think it’s gonna play too big of a role,” Djokovic said of his perfect record against Thiem. “I think he really will step it up and try to do something special. I’m sure he’s going to be as motivated as ever, so I expect him to come out and really play his best. I’m going to be ready for that. I obviously played him last year semis here, played a really good match, (and) played an incredible match against him in Rome. But it’s different conditions. It’s best of five. It’s a Grand Slam.”
None of those last two factors help Thiem. The underdog’s talent level and current form are such that he is more than capable of winning this match, but his past struggles against Djokovic and relative inexperience–at least compared to his opponent–in the business end of slams could be his undoing.
Pick: Djokovic in 5
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who ya got?
Thiem in 5
i like the boldness!
Hi Ricky, Thanks for this wonderful blog. I always read your prediction (and also with Benny) to get some insights. cheers.. Thanks again. 🙂
Thiem
I don’t think this match will go 5 sets. If Novak is on, he will win in 4 or even 3. If he’s not, Thiem in 4. It all depends on which version of Novak shows up. I’m thinking he will want to conserve energy for a likely SF with Rafa.
fair points
Novak in 4. Its a bad match up for Theim. Djokivic has already had a scare from Schwartzman and made adjustments to his game.
Novak has or over his mentally based on pervious results (5:0)
Djokivic 3:1
Djokovic d. Thiem 6-3 , 6-2 , 4-6 , 6-1.
Theim in 5 winning with the last set 6-4. Match to last around 4.30 hrs.
Rafa would prefer to play Djokovic, so Theim winning is not great news.
Well in terms of form, it’s certainly in favour of Thiem. He’s had a solid clay-court season, and has looked strong in all his RG matches so far. He has played as well as anyone not called ‘Nadal’. Novak has been steadily building, and Agassi in his corner will help, although I don’t feel he was very convincing against Ramos Viñolas. I mean, compare the way Nadal crushed Agut with the way that Djoko played against RV, an easier opponent. If RV had been able to grab that first set I actually feel he could’ve pushed Djoko to five like Schwartzman did. In the end he couldn’t though, and he seemed to lose some belief after the first set tie-break. Djokovic’s confidence rose as the match went on, and he finished pretty strongly.
The concerning thing for Thiem fans is that Thiem-Djokovic H2H record. Five to zip, including the recent Rome beatdown. To some extent you can write that off, since he was really tired, but the overall H2H is still a worry, and it’ll give Novak confidence. That being said, I don’t think Thiem will be too affected by it, he won’t go in as favourite, and I think he’ll really believe he can win. He got beaten by Rafa a couple of times before and then overcame him in straight sets in Rome (albeit Nadal was tired), so he’ll know this match, though BO5 is a different ballgame, is very winnable. Novak, on the other hand, can get this done, but assuming Thiem’s level does not suddenly drop in the face of a tough opponent (very unlikely), I think he’ll have to raise his level. I am not confident that he can.
Thiem in 4.
Well, I didn’t quite pick it, because I thought Novak would get a set. He was pretty close though, had two set points on Thiem’s serve late in that first set. After that, he didn’t really look like he was going to bounce back any stronger, Thiem was making all the play in the 2nd and 3rd sets. Third set from Djokovic wasn’t Tomic-like, but it was pretty damn poor.
Next up comes a much bigger test, a fresh and in-form King of Clay.
You picked it pretty well, Duke, with your analysis above. Any take on the next round?
Didn’t see Rafa’s match today, but it looks like it was going as expected until PCB retired. Probably would’ve been better for Rafa to have to play three dominant sets, just for continuity and to get a nice pre-Thiem workout. That said, much better to have a retirement than five tough sets. Rafa’s fresh and his form is as good as it has been in a while.
I didn’t see Thiem beat Rafa in Rome, so it’s hard for me to say if that match has much significance. Given Rafa would’ve been quite tired from so much play, I won’t be reading too much into it. It can’t hurt Thiem though, because he’ll know he *can* beat Rafa, even if the FO is a whole other ball-game. The risk for Thiem is that he has a bit of a let-down – a bit like he did in Rome against Djokovic, except it would be in reverse order this time. Beating two big four players in a row is a big ask mentally, as you said elsewhere, he may not be able to replicate today’s performance. If he can’t, he will probably get wiped almost as badly as Rafa’s opponents so far. But I think Thiem’s level today wasn’t much different to his other matches, most of which I have watched, so he should bring a similar standard against Nadal.
Will that be enough? Well, good as Djokovic is, Rafa has been in *much* better form than him this tournament, he hasn’t even been pushed. If Thiem were to win the first set, I’m confident the others would be just as tough, if not tougher. Rafa won’t collapse like Djokovic did today if he has a slow start, even if Thiem has all guns blazing. I think the Austrian stands a chance, and he should have the fitness, but I can’t go past Nadal in this form, I think he’ll probably be just a little too good on the big points.
Rafa in 4.
Djokovic in 3 and loses to Rafa in the semis
Its not for nothing that Novak is leading 5-0 in H2H.Thiems game fits Djokovic a very, very well because this boy from Austria is infact a one-dimensional ball basher despite all of your exaggeration here about Thiem and his game.
Novak- Thiem 3-1.
Djoker is a freaking lock.
Lol!
Thiem is a ball basher but a rather good one on clay! He’s looking awesome here, and looks like he still has plenty in the tank so I doubt he will play like his Rome SF. I won’t be surprised he will be all guns blazing this time, playing something close to that Rome QF level which I think will give Djoko plenty of problems. I also doubt Djoko could play like that Rome SF to win, as this is a BO5 match and there will be ups and downs during the match, so Thiem will have his chances.
The Thiem of 2017 is a much improved version of that 2016 version;
Bad matchup for Thiem.
Djoko in three.
#NoleIsBack
#NID
#HawkstradamusRisen
It’s doubtful to me that Novak will lose to Thiem at this point – QF in GS. Maybe Thiem can prove me wrong. I’d be happy to see Thiem win but will have to see it to believe it.
Also very happy with how Andy played vs Khachanov.
Ch Ch Ch Changes….and maybe not….Joker in 3.
Djokovic had a few rounds where he didn’t dominate the opponent/playing not to his potential and everyone is off his bandwagon. However when Nadal was in a long slump everyone here still stood by him every time.
Djoker in four
Nole may lose a set but won’t lose this match! Thiem is not the one who could trouble Nole, he never even came close to beating Nole. He will be thinking of that last loss to Nole, it will be in his head and won’t be able to produce his best tennis. When I come to think of it PCB beat tougher and more quality opponents than Thiem to reach the quarterfinals…with Goffin getting injured Thiem’s draw became way too easy…
Nole in 4
Definitely
Djokovic is a bad matchup for Thiem. How? Djokovic is able to rush Thiem consistently. He stays close to the baseline and takes time away from Theim who likes to take his time and prefers a bit of deeper court positioning.
Can thiem beat djokovic or make this really competitive? Yes, but he needs to get the tactics right. He has been tactically BAD in the past. He goes for pace too much and lets djokovic use that to rush him even more!
Thiem is playing great and and if he plays the right way, he will surely make this very competitive.
VR, Thiem is a poorer version of Stan. If Thiem is able to play the way Stan does vs Djoko, he will have his chances. However, his chances will be slim, but then, Stan did beat Djoko a few times despite their lopsided H2H in Djoko’s favor (and Stan even beat Djoko in 2015, Djoko’s best year!); the Djoko right now is still vulnerable, if Schwartzman could push Djoko to five sets, I doubt Thiem couldn’t.
Schwartzman too play from deep behind the baseline, hits very hard too. Djoko may enjoy rallies and pace, but if you can hit hard and push him behind the baseline, you can win the point; and that’s how hard hitters beat him – Stan, Delpo, A Zverev for examples. Thiem and his team have to learn from their mistakes and come out with a proper game plan vs Djoko. I give Thiem about 30% chances, or maybe 40%, of winning this match, on the basis that Thiem is physically fresher than Djoko, playing better too at this point, and maybe have learned a lesson or two from that sound beating suffered in Rome.
Thiem in 4! I sense he will pull a wawrinka on Nole
Let’s go Novak win this in 3! Although I think Novak in 4 is also probable. Cmon Nole!
I like how everyone is using the theim was tired excuse for his recent loss to Djokovic but no one considered that djkovic had to play Diplo the same day as theim due to a rain delay. If anything theim had the energy advantage. Djkovic had to play a extra round and a half that day.
Sam, Djoko had to play only one set of tennis against Delpo on that day! If you’re talking about a slam where he had to play say two to three or even four sets of tennis, then yes I can understand. You also have to take into consideration that Thiem had played lots of tennis by then, compared to Djoko. Why don’t you go read what Thiem himself had to say about his own physical conditions at that time? It’s not like we are here making up stories!
Lucky mentions the parts that fit her confirmatory bias.
No mention that Djoko played in THREE matches in just over 24 hours and no mention of the repeat warm ups, cool downs and media commitments involved.
#TextbookCase
#NoleIsBack
Also no mention of Thiem’s comment in the very same interview where he stated that his game doesn’t match up well with Nole’s.
Confirmatory bias is everywhere.
#NoleIsBack
#HawkstradamusRisen
did thiem say why his game doesn’t match up well with Nole?
From the same interview referenced by LS:
““Against Novak, it’s really tough for me to play, I mean, because he doesn’t give me any time,” said Thiem, speaking to press at Rome. “I don’t really like to play against him, because he has a game style which doesn’t fit me at all,”
BTW VR, everyone is biased butt you are the least biased on this site by a looooong shot.
VR, of course Thiem did mention that, but that’s besides the point. The point wasn’t about why Thiem lost, when he’s being losing in all five or six meetings, but why he lost so badly in that Rome SF. I think some people just get confused, as if we are saying that when Thiem isn’t tired, he would have beaten Djoko. I doubt anyone is saying that.
Like what you’ve mentioned, Thiem has to play with a right game plan to have a chance to beat Djoko. It’s just like Stan, when he has a lopsided H2H vs Djoko but on his day, still could get some big and important wins over Djoko. Thiem perhaps could take a leaf out of Stan’s book on how to beat Djoko.
One thing Thiem has to improve and that’s his net game; Thiem seems not to have much deft touches at the net, and players like Murray, Rafa and Djoko could hit drop shots against him and he would have a hard time getting to the net to hit the ball over, many times losing the point, not helped by his court position behind the baseline. He just doesn’t have the anticipatory abilities of Rafa or Murray and when he gets to the net, he’s just not good enough to hit a good shot to win the point.
“Thiem perhaps could take a leaf out of Stan’s book on how to beat Djoko.”
I don’t think Thiem can hope for an injury or a player not to be at their best like Wawrinka did in his slam wins over Rafa with bad back or Nole who choked in Australia/French Open or who was slumping badly at USO.
Lucky,
I agree with you. The idea that NovAk would be tired after playing one set of tennis and then another set the next day, is just more made up stuff to try and justify how Novsk lost to Zverev in the final. It’s funny but with all that chatter and hashtags about Novak being back, one would give him credit due being one of the fittest players in the sport. These guys practice on the days they play matches.
Now if Novak had a tough semifinal with Thiem, then maybe one could posit this theory of him being tired. But if you blink, then you missed that match.
The idea that press commitments or any of the other regular and normal duties could have tired out Novak is also pretty disrespectful to him.
Now if you want to make an argument for tiredness. How about Rafa in the AO final? After so many hours on the court, including that epic battle with Dimi in the semis, Rafa would have been feeling justifiably tired for the final.
It’s funny how someone can trot out this tired argument to justify Novak’s performance in the Rome final, yet insist he’s back. That is a direct contradiction.
Then we have catch phrases to demean our arguments because they happen to differ.
“. The idea that NovAk would be tired after playing one set of tennis and then another set the next day”
Just another strawman.
“The idea that press commitments or any of the other regular and normal duties could have tired out Novak is also pretty disrespectful to him.”
It’s funny how someone can trot out this tired argument of others being disrespectful to him when someone refers to a poster here (not by their name) but by the demeaning term “someone”.
#TwoWayStreet
#NoleIsBack
Both hawkeye and me independently assessed that Nole is back. I have no problem if others here hold the view that Nole is not back. What I do have a problem with though is the method by which they will assess whether Nole is back or not i.e. by winning titles. Winning titles is a RESULT of being back and not CAUSE. And while winning titles in a row is a sufficient condition to prove that a player is back, it is not necessary. A player maybe back but still not win titles. In any case according to the title test, how many titles does a player have to win to prove he is back? Also do they have to be consecutive? What happens if more than one player is back? How should the titles be distributed among them to prove both are back?
The player themselves have no problem deciding when they are back. When Rafa returned in 2015, he announced at the outset that he is not back. Fans refused to believe him and expected him to keep winning. This year, in January itself, he announced he is back. However, he did not win any titles till the clay season.
Mary, it’s not the results but how Djoko played – his serve is not up to par, his ROS too. His FH and BH not as precise esp when on the run. If that’s he being back, then you’re lowering your expectations. Also,notice the nervousness in him, when he started bouncing the ball numerous times before he serves. I think he’s going through the same nervous, self doubting cycle Rafa had gone through in the last two years.
To me, Djoko is back when his serve and ROS returns to his former good level, and he’s not missing much on his FH and BH; and when he’s playing with confidence and not with nervousness.
You could not explain it any better, Lucky, at least to me, anyway.
Mary is so brilliant though – I think she can bend spoons with the strength of her mind.
In fact by the title test, Nole and Muzz were more back than Rafa as they had won one title each before the clay season against Rafa’s zero.
Mary persists in misstating what was said about winning titles. Novak winning one minor title and crashj out early at AI to Istomin, was clear and irrefutable evidence that he was in some real trouble. Given his stellar record st AO, that only made it more shocking. The fact the Novak did not even get to any finals until Rome and was losing early in tournaments up to then, is also irrefutable evidence that he was struggling.
Novak is someone who not only has dominated this sport in the last few years, but whose consistency has been a hallmark of his success. That consistency has been absent in the first half of this year.
Regarding titles, the goal is to win them and gain rankings points to attain success and stay at the top of this sport. A low level title here and there is not significant for the likes of Novak. Unless one wants to lower the bar for him.
Taking someone’s argument literally and then pretending that any title is evidence that a player is at his usual level, is to misrepresent the point being made.
This is being beaten to death and it’s getting really old. There is other evidence that Mibak is not back to his best. Since Lucky has addressed those specific issues in her latest reply, then I see no reason to repeat it.
Novak’s record for the first half of this year is not even remotely close to what he has achieved when at his best. That includes titles such as AO and IW and Miami as well as clay titles. Wild swings in his level are also not typical of a Novak at his best. His performance in the Rome final revealed that there is still lack of focus and concentration at crucial moments. Winning only 38% of second serve points is one glaring statistic. Another is the differential between winners and UE’s. Then there are the wide open shots that were missed repeatedly.
Even a tired Novak would have been able to win matches with sheer force of will.
I have allowed that Novak has made progress and is going in the right direction. Going deep in the clay Masters tournaments is a sign of progress. So it’s not just black or white.
It would really be nice if the contention that winning big titles on a regular basis is an indication that a player is back to their best.
Nole wasn’t back then. No one claimed he was. Ergo, strawman argument.
Nobody said it was black and white. I’ve said it’s opinion repeatedly. Ergo, yet another strawman argument.
#MibakIsBack
Good one there, NNY?.
It’s an insult to Djoko, that people questioned his fitness over one set of tennis played earlier in the day and two easy sets later in the day! There are cases where players played two matches in one day due to rain delays, and they played full matches, not just one set, and they still could win their respective matches.
It’s not like Djoko had an on fire Thiem in the SF, but a Thiem who admitted hes running on fumes. A less tired Thiem might still lose to Djoko, but with a more respectable score line I believe.
Lucky,
I want to thank you for your knowledge of the game and how you stay true to what you think.
You and Vamosrafa are the two most knowledgeable people on this site when it comes to tennis. You will discuss abs even disagree without using catch phrases to dismiss the arguments and thoughts of others.
I enjoy reading both of you because I can learn something more about the matches. Sometimes your thoughts can give me reason to rethink my own point of view or change my perspective.
I really appreciate how you both can make an argument using your depth of knowledge and understanding of the game.
?
Thanks NNY.
No point for you to argue with those who always think that they know better then others, just save your time! Anyway, A Zverev played a flawless game in that Rome final, I doubt Djoko could do anything about that. I did notice that was a windy day so that might have played a part in the way Djoko played. Zverev just hit so hard and didn’t miss, changing court positions and direction of the ball at will, making it difficult for Djoko to defend against him.
“No point for you to argue with those who always think that they know better then others”
But nny never argues with you LS, but at least you are self aware so congrats for that.
No not two matches. THREE matches played in. In just over 24 hours. If you are going to discuss, please check your facts.
It’s interesting that “some people here” used tiredness to help explain Rafa’s loss to Thiem however.
This is the selective bias that is used by some knowledgeable fans. I don’t dispute their considerable knowledge, just their selective application of said knowledge.
VR is very objective and his unique blend of analysis with objectiveness is an extremely rare commodity among avid tennis fans.
I add to My post AT 2:22 PM.
#NoleIsBack
Lucky,
I appreciate the advice. Not your comment about players having to play two matches was taken and distorted to twist its meaning. So you are being criticized for saying two matches now when Novak played three. But you were careful to state that these were two complete matches, not truncated ones. Novak o my played one set against Delpo before the match was suspended for the night. Then they came back abc played one set and the match was over. Novak had hours to recuperate before his night match with Thiem. That one was more like a practice match lasting only one hour.
So you see how what you said was distorted and your full sentence was not included.
I take your point about not getting into this kind of back and forth which never seems to end. But I thought it was unfortunate that what you said was made to seem something it was not.
There’s a lot of that going around!
Much better for us to continue to discuss in good faith and to just enjoy the exchange of ideas!
more straw man, cherry picking and selective bias.
Which is what I admire about VR as opposed to some “others”.
#NoleIsBack
And NNY, to add to my post at 1.55pm, these players then went on to win their next match on the following day, with less than a day’s rest. And, these players aren’t as fit as Djoko, who played five set matches quite often! Djoko was playing so few matches this season, hardly running on fumes, unlike Thiem or Rafa, who played the most no.of matches so far this season!
AO not AI! *
Novak, not Mibak! *
#CovefeIsBack
Sam. I did.
#NoleIsBack
Sam, tiredness wasn’t the excuse for Thiem’s loss I must add; it’s the lopsidedness that’s the issue. Thiem might still lose it when he’s not as tired, but not with such lopsided score line.
Nobody says Thiem would have won had he not being tired. I don’t know how Thiem’s tiredness had now become the excuse for his loss! We’re talking about how competitive Thiem could be when facing Djoko here, and I doubt Thiem would play like his Rome SF, more like the QF imo and that would make it competitive against Djoko, I don’t think that’s too difficult to understand.
Sam is talking about Djokovic being tired.
It’s much more than just playing a set (but that doesn’t fit the narrative).
The facts:
Saturday at 3:00 PM, Nole beats Delpo in one set.
Saturday at 9:30 PM, Nole beats Thiem
Sunday at 4:00 PM, Nole starts match with Zverev.
So when did Nole play in three matches within 25 hours from end to start during his peak?
#Rhetorical
#NoleIsBack
djokovic in 4
Djoko is elevating his game however.
Djoko in 3. Ajde Nole!
Thiem in 5 although this article doesn’t agree http://www.138mph.com/thiem-vs-djokovic-and-nadal-vs-busta-wholl-go-further/
I can see how Thiem has a chance with his game,hitting huge shots from behind the baseline ,just as Zverev and Wawrinka do.But he needs to execute,and it’s a Slam Qf so won’t be easy against Nole.
I give Theim a better chance against Nadal than Djokovic due to the forehand/backhand dynamics. Thiem has more chance of controlling the points against Nadal and Nadal’s forehand to Thiem’s backhand actually sits up quite nicely for him at shoulder height.
Djokovic in 4, maybe 5.
Amazing analysis. You should replace the commentators at tennis channel!
Thank you for your kind words.
Djokovic hits much flatter and with more pace also which takes more time away from Thiem than he likes. Thiem loves posting your typical clay courter on clay. Djokovic is more of a hardcourter that’s good in clay.
Both right handed with two handed backhand to single handed back hand favours Djokivic as well.
Huh? Rafa’s left handed topspin FH to Thiem’s SHBH on clay is the winning formula for Rafa, not for Thiem! What are you talking about? Read what Thiem said about Rafa’s topspin FH could do to him, i.e. pinning Thiem to the BH corner and Thiem had to hit shoulder high BH after BH and so loses the point!
Thiem’ SHBH has no such problem with Djoko’s flatter DHBH on clay. Thiem also has a huge FH to counter Djoko’s FH. It’s not about FHs or BHs between these two,but about Djoko taking time away from Thiem, who stays way behind the baseline and needs more time for the big swing of his FH. Thiem also has a similar problem with Goffin, who also takes the ball early and rushes Thiem.
I agree that this is usually case with Nadal but after studying their Rome match, that was my conclusion.
All the best.
Thiem’s conclusion as well.
Jim, have you studied the Barcelona and the Madrid final?
Infookingcredibly windy!
Is it better for Novak or Domi?
Any ideas? 😀
*By “better” I mean “less worse” obviously! 😉
The wind appears to be a factor today. The defensive players to get the difficult but easy looking score card win.
Errorfest for the players who need to pull the trigger to have a chance at an upset.
My guess is that neither Rafa nor Novak will be able to finish their respective matches today. The weather will not allow it. I wouldn’t be surprised if they never even start, depending on how the ladies’ matches will unfold.
Unless they have some rules like nobody can be made to work after so and so hour, I think Rafa and Nole will complete their matches as weather forecast says very little or zero chance of rain after 9 pm.
Mary, a period of time without rain after 9pm isn’t especially helpful because it will get dark fairly soon. The courts don’t have lights. That’s the reason why there are no night sessions at the French Open. That might change when the new court with a roof is ready.
In any case the semi final is on Friday so plenty of time to recover even if the matches are held over till tomorrow.
Regardless, the players from today will be at a disadvantage from having a days less rest and again will not have a fair match up
When the semi final is on Fri for both halves, how will players from today have a disadvantage vis a vis those scheduled for tomorrow? Now both halves will have QFs on Wed and semi on Fri. So Sam, the correct position is this: the players from today have lost the benefit of an extra day’s rest so the match up which was earlier unfair is now fair.
I’d they had Finished today, they would of had an extra day of rest but that’s gone from the rain. Having one extra day always helps.
@carole_bouchard
Les deux quarts masculins du jour sont annulés / Both men quarter finals are cancelled.
Yeah, I’m not surprised. But the weather will get better within the next few days.
Womens play has resumed.
#NoleIsBackTomorrow
Roland-GarrosVerified account @rolandgarros 14s14 seconds ago
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Day 11 OOP, PC, **11am Start**
CarrenoBusta-Nadal
Garcia-KaPliskova
Murray-Nishikori
I think Rafa is the biggest draw at this year’s French Open. Wonder whether things would have been different if Fed had been in the fray.Lots of people had bought tickets for PC today hoping to see Rafa. I am not sure how it works. Would they be allowed to see only Rafa’s match tomorrow or can they see the other matches too on PC or will they only get a refund for today’s ticket. Anyone knows?
Ticket holders for PC and SL courts will be fully refunded and will not be able to see the postponed matches.
Tickets for other courts had more than 2 hr. minimum so won’t be refunded/
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DBqJmloWAAA9A3z.jpg:large
Thanks hawkeye!
Why, you’re quite welcome Mary.
Mary, I want to thank you for your knowledge of the game and how you stay true to what you think.
You and Vamosrafa are the two most knowledgeable people on this site when it comes to tennis. You will discuss abs even disagree without using catch phrases to dismiss the arguments and thoughts of others.
I enjoy reading both of you because I can learn something more about the matches. Sometimes your thoughts can give me reason to rethink my own point of view or change my perspective.
I really appreciate how you both can make an argument using your depth of knowledge and understanding of the game.
?
#CovefeIsBack
Thanks hawkeye. Such words from you make me feel overwhelmed. I respect you a lot, not just your knowledge of tennis but also your wit and logic. And you do seem to be a hawkstradamus after AO proved you right!!! You are also true to what you think and that’s another thing I like about you even if what you think is totally at variance with what I think. Differing opinions, if based on a reasoned argument, are always welcome because they enable us to look at different perspectives. Again thanks for the compliment. But to be honest, I am not as good as you or vr. But I am learning from you, Maestro!
#Humb1e
Play is suspended.
#HowManyTimes???
#CovefeIsBack
Plagiarizing what I wrote to Lucky almost word for word! Only the name of the person changed!
I guess it’s hard to come up with original words, so why not copy someone else’s! They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but in this instance such was not the case.
LOL!
He has plagiarized for years! LOL
Djoko in 3:)
All men’s quarter finals matches scheduled for tomorrow which should make for an epic day of tennis.
Grrrrr I Had today off bloody work, and tomorrow i have to go back to work, so i will miss the tennis, im so p*ssed off at this moment 🙁 ….
Oh Ali!…Sorry to hear that!!
You can imagine how pissed off I am. Had fab seats on SL court. Spent all day getting wetter and wetter not to mention colder and colder :-))
ed!!…Believe it or not..i was thinking of u yesterday and today!because i remembered u said u wanna see rafa when he play in QF…Are everything okay for u there ed?U still can watch him today?
Thanks MA. You’re right – I’ll be watching on Eurosport Player and daughter will be watching on TV. That way we;ll both be happy.
Tough to predict … I believe Thiem but pundits think otherwise http://www.138mph.com/thiem-vs-djokovic-and-nadal-vs-busta-wholl-go-further/
Good call, Kavita.
It was even more frustrating for my daughter who got tickets after being refunded when the same thing happened to her last year. What’s more Theim is her favourite player. It also served to remind me why I’d given up going to Roland Garros years!!
Yeah ed!…I hope u both will enjoy the match today!No matter where we watch it..as long as our fav is winning right?Say HI to your daughter k ed?
God!Thiem struck the ball so hard!!…His BH topspin winner’s was recorded at 3271 and 3229 rpm!..and the former was lashed at 170km/h DTL!!…The most fastest winner at the tourney so far..Woohohoho!Crazy!!
Winning on serve tough for both players at the start
But,unfortunately he’s also made a lot of UE’s…BP come and go just like that!..
Thiem making tactocal errors again. I hope he can adjust
Thiem has the best forehand on clay after Rafa
what was that backhand from nole! not a difficult shot..
another backhand error by nole!! ridiculous…
thiem is outplaying nole right now…don’t understand some of nole’s shot choices…
Thiem overpowering Novak. Novak’s backhand continues to be vulnerable…esp when pushed wide. He is also not getting enough rotations on the ball to keep it in more often I think
are you here today mira?
sending you a hello message….
hope you’re well honey..
amy!!!…Oh God!I can’t you’re here again!!…I’m very very fine amy!!Much more so when you’re here!!Hehehe….Urgh!Sorry!Can’t come here sooner amy..we’re on fasting month and this time is very crucial to us…urgh!..i miss novak match as well!
Btw..how r u amy!..Urgh!Soooooo great to see u here amy!!Thank u for coming okay?
you’re in the middle of ramadan aren’t you mira?? don’t know how you manage all this fasting!! very hard…
lovely to see you mira dear…i am very upset that rafa didn’t get a real match today..that isn’t going to help him at all…
hey amy!…Yeah..we’re Muslims in the middle of Ramadhan…Haha..yeah..it’s hard but actually it’s good for our health as well…just imagine,our digestion system have to work very hard all year long without rest…so,for this month we can rest them from all those hard work that we’ve put them through…so,they’re can live longer like us amy…hehe…that’s my stomach story for today amy!!Hehehehe…
Btw…don’t be too upset bout Rafa k?…insyaallah he’ll be fine amy..imo,he don’t need the matches that much because he’s already full of it since he’s winning MC,Barca and Madrid…and got to QF in Rome..unlike his closest rival like Nole and andy who’s going out early in almost every tourney since AO…so,in my opinion Rafa at this stage will put his most desire and will to win,now that he’s only 2 steps away from the most glorious achievement in his career amy…
hahaha glad your busy stomach is getting a rest mira!! mine could do with the same as i am a chocaholic!
i always always worry about rafa’s next opponent in slams. always have and always will. i think i said before i am very superstitious so i would never say i think he is going to win.am a bit like rafa in always giving his opponent maximum respect….
have to go out in a minute mira so take good care of yourself hon….talk soon…
amy!…really really glad i can chat with u today!!Please come again amy!…Next time you’re here i will serve u a veryyyyyyyy delicious chocolate and coconut milk shake and after u taste it…urgh!believe me amy…u don’t wanna leave here ever again!….That’s of coz the biggest lie i’ve ever told u!!Hehehe…Going to miss u very very much amy!!!
When did Nole last lose in straights!!
i;ve been rooting for thiem because i see him as a lesser threat to rafa. beginning to wonder if that is true right now. i am a bit nervous for the semis..
same here! Hope thiem comes down like he did in Rome in the next round
that’s a fair point because thiem has never taken down 2 top players in a row has he?? what worries me most isn’t really thiem but that rafa hardly had any match play today and had a 3 day gap from the match before. how will that affect his game?
I think this version of Thiem will beat Rafa; he’s just bringing too much power. Whether he can replicate it in the next match (assuming he wins this one, of course) is another question.
disagree with that. rafa’s game can handle thiem if his game is on. but he will hardly have played over several days.
rafa is also a great wind player, nole is poor in the wind and it really shows today.
It looks like we’re going to find out: up two sets and two breaks. Hard to count Novak out, but it would take a massive collapse for Thiem to lose this one now.
No, Rafa will push Thiem back far better than Nole. That’s the problem with Nole’s game sometimes, when he is not at 100%, he can get pushed back easier. same happened with Stan in 2015.
Theim CAN beat Rafa but if Rafa comes out playing aggressive the he has been, it will be enough to stop Thiem.
I agree with you VR. Djoko is definitely not playing as well as he had played in 2015 or 2016 and Thiem is playing very well so Thiem is able to push Djoko back behind the baseline and then overpowers him.
Rafa will not play like Djoko did, he’ll try to control the court by moving forward and forcing Thiem back. Believe it or not, Rafa can serve better than Djoko now, and will wins many points on his serves.
The problem for Rafa is Thiem’s big serves, but if Rafa, by staying further from the baseline to return serves, could get to read Thiem’s serves as the match progresses, then he may be able to handle at least some of those serves and not giving Thiem too many cheap points.
Thiem has won some good points playing his one two punch tennis using his BHDTL! That BHDTL was such a beauty but I hope he won’t have much success vs Rafa in the SF!
Thiem just outplaying Novak so far to go up 2-0 sets; not what I expected. Very reminiscent of the 2015 final, though not quite as high in quality, especially on Novak’s side. But more proof, it seems, that big hitting allied to consistency cannot be beaten, even on clay.
Regarding Nole’s play, what really stands out for me is how he doesn’t have his CC backhand, at least not with the extreme angle he was playing it a year ago. Part of that is Thiem’s power and depth keeping him pushed back.
One shot really missing
he’s playing in the middle of the court because he doesn’t like the wind. but that gives thiem the advantage with his power game…
but djokos errorfest has made himlookbetter
wow thiem has touch as well…
Yeah, those who think he’s just a ball-basher are wrong. he’s hit a few lovely drop shots in this match.
horrible forehand miss to get broken by nole. he’s going down.
Djoko not even swearing, not getting angry. As if he is not interested. About to go double break down.
we can put that down to pepe’s wonderful influence!! you have to be very strong in your masculinity to wear powder pink…
vmk1, this is what I was saying pre-french open. Let’s wait for him to run into some serious opposition to find out how he holds up mentally and how confident he feels. He is clearly struggling and obviously lacks confidence.
Wow, djoko getting straight-setted.
SO Thiem vs Rafa!
so what should rafa’s tactics be against thiem??
Rafa has tactics against Thiem, don’t worry.
It will be a very tough match though given how much power and consistency Thiem has.
Rafa will beat him in 4 tough sets I think. I am not happy about today’s result though! Rafa could come out under-cooked.
have said that lots of times today vr!! remember how nole suffered in 2011 rg when he got very little match play before the match with fed? that is what makes me nervous…
What do you think Rafa’s tactics will be, VR? As I see it, his best chance (assuming Thiem plays near this level) is to play ultra-aggressively. Even then, I don’t think it would be enough.
However, I am not at all confident that Thiem will be able to bring this level again in the next match.
Come on Joe, Thiem had to fight tooth and nail to win the first set, and Djoko wasn’t even at his best. You’re here telling us Thiem playing the way he plays and others (Rafa in this case) won’t be enough to beat him?
I bet if the match goes on longer, Thiem won’t be able to hit that hard for the whole match; and I don’t think Rafa couldn’t win a set to extend Thiem and exposes his weaknesses once his level comes down. The rest will be up to Rafa (and Thiem) to fight it out.
If Thiem doesn’t bring that level, it will be because Rafa won’t allow it.
Just like when Fed played so many rounds in the past looking amazing until he was outmatched.
#Nolesurelyisnotback
nole has just completely lost it….quite sad really…
Djoko in a mess now, can’t imagine how many shots he misses. Thiem OTOH is playing very well, esp that BHDTL. Maybe Thiem is going to beat Djoko for the first time, looking very likely now. Thiem is just overpowering Djoko and Djoko simply has no answer. Djoko may even get a bagel!
The scoreline seems so similar to the rout that djoko inflicted on rafa in 2015
nole in same place mentally as rafa was then….
5-0! Bagel? Damn!
Thiem looks primed to return the bagel delivered in rome
Nadal v Thiem…what a French Open semi that will be.
This is what I love about sport. Who picked Thiem to win in straights? Serving up a bagel in the last one? Not me. Anything can happen and that’s what’s great about it.
WTF!! He is tanking it! Not cool for a hall of famer.
i wish thiem hadn’t beaten rafa in rome. got the jitters now.
thiem is going to be full of confidence…rafa better not be flat after the lack of matchplay..
Wow! Novak is so NOT BACK! Even more than I thought…
I don’t know who why people ever thought Novak would be back. Because of a few good performances here and there against tier 2 players? He almost lost to Schwartzman and won because his opponent starting getting back problems. He won’t be winning any grand slams unless he decides to be motivated again, eat meat like a man and drop Pepe. Before Jan of this year I put $300 on both Murray and Djokovic not winning a slam this year at 3:1 and 4:1 odds respectively. Easiest money I will ever make.
I for one never thought Novak was back! I kept saying that..,however, I did not expect him to underperform like this! I also thought Nole had mental edge over Thiem and would beat him today…errors from Nole’s racquet were all over the place! Made it so easy for Thiem…
From a performance aspect, I was 100% sure of a Thiem victory. Thing is Thiem doesn’t have the nerves needed so that’s why I was unsure of the results. I’m glad to see the stronger player prevailed. At least Thiem will show some resistance against Nadal, he might even pull it off although that’s a long shot. Djokovic would have been embarrassed there as well.
Yes! Those of us who were attacked and ridiculed over and over were right!
NNY said:
“If my ego and self-worth depended on being right about a tennis match, then I would consider myself in big trouble.”
Too funny!
#ForYourConsideration
#GlassHousesAreEverywhere
Well done Thiem….How many points will lose Novak?????
1640
Yay! Thiem’s first win over Novak in the QF at FO, on Thiem’s best surface, very very proud of Dominic Thiem.
#Noleisnotbackyet
But I have hope that by Wimbledon and US Open Series he’ll be back – he’s not got his confidence back.
To those that think Dominic is one-dimensional…NO. He’s made big improvements since last clay season. He’ll keep getting better. Classy guy.
thiem showed some great touch today rc. am worried about his semi with rafa and rafa being undercooked.
nole really needs a full time coach!!!
Yeah amy I woke up in time to see the last two sets. Nole needs a full time coach, I agree. It was nice to have Andre but I don’t know how much Andre will be around — maybe he’ll have some time during Wimbledon and certainly during US Open, my guess.
I’m a little worried about Thiem. Have to give him respect. (Maybe) I give him a set but Rafa is going to give him a fight much tougher than what Nole was capable of today!!
i don’t think he would beat rafa if not for the lack of match play rafa has had recently. but how will that affect him? in 2011 rg nole really lost focus when he had very little match play before his semi with fed. that makes me plenty nervous and then thiem got the win against rafa in rome.
pepe is a terribel influence on nole! he needs to get rid of him and find someone permanent if andre isn’t going to be around much…
1. Thiem isn’t Fed.
B. Nole isn’t The King of Clay
#HopeThisHelps
#RogerIsBack
Crack in the ol’ crystal ball, Hawkstradamus? Or did you just peer too far into the future?
FWIW I think Nole will be back. As the Big 4 said when Rafa was struggling, champions don’t go away. They don’t come back overnight either.
#IsRoger’sBackBack?
#IsMurrayBack?
#IsStanTheManOrTheCryBaby?
Are the Tennis Channel commies confused? Yes, definitely. Torn between lamenting Djokovic’s fall and praising Thiem’s rise. Actually it is possible for one player to play great and the other to play badly but kinda hard for us on the outside to really tell.
It all depends on how first 2 sets go. if Thiem is able to some how manage to get first 2 sets, it will be in his favor. but if they split 1 each rafa will have chance to go for extended match and can ware Thiem down.
@ratclif,
Fully agree. Thiem is confident but so is Rafa! Thiem is playing well but SO IS RAFA! Rafa’s top level is better than Them’s! And Rafa has 9 titles here!
Vamos Champ!
Well RC, Thiem still not so good at the net. If you force him to come forward, chances are he’ll make errors; it’s only coming in on his own accord that he wins the point.
He’s still a hard hitter, but is slowly adding in some other shots into his game.
Woooooo HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
#(RogerIsBack)
BO5 on Chatrier is a different proposition than Rome.
Plus Rafa will have learned from that loss.
#RafaIsBack
#CovefemptySeats
@ hawks,
?
In other news, Rafa is no 2 and Nole is no 3. So they will still continue to be drawn in the same half 🙂
Yes, Rafa is guaranteed to pass Nole for No. 2 spot.
Gonna take an upset for anyone to beat Federer at Wimby. Andy is on his way back and Milos is a definite dark horse candidate.
#FireLePew
#RogerIsBack
It will certainly be interesting. Murray’s worst surface is clay and he’s starting to look like a top player again. I don’t think he has what it takes to beat Wawrinka or Cilic but I’m glad he’s living up to his ranking somewhat. Regarding Fed, I think he is the clear favorite but we have to consider the lay-off and age. I know the lay-off didn’t hurt him any earlier this year but at this point in his career 3-4 months is an eternity. If all goes well he will win, regarding US open, anything can happen. Either Fed, Nadal or someone new will win it there imo.
Nole had a composed press conference. He made the honest admission that he was fried mentally in the third set and Thiem played with a lot of confidence in the last two sets. He said that other top players have gone through situations where they have not won top titles. But he views it as a challenge and will work towards regaining the winning edge
Saving those two set points in the 1st (which Thiem played great to save) and winning the set gave him a massive confidence boost, and was a real downer for Novak. After that, when Thiem’s level didn’t drop, Nole lost belief. We’re not used to seeing that, but it’s not hard to understand when the other guy is hitting the ball past you at 160kph on the backhand.
2016 Novak would have won.
Not obvious.
Obvious.
THIEM WITH THE DEMOLITION!! WHAT??
You read it right, Benny.
#TheThiemonator
Watched the 3rd set. Theim was in God mode. What a performance. Kind of makes me worry. Always thought he was a worse opponent for Rafa than Nole.
Rafa cannot let Theim dominate. He can get really hot once he starts dominating.
I see him dominating RG soon. Hopefully not this year.
Thiem played at that level for most of the match; it was just that Novak’s level really dropped in that last set.
I kept saying after madrid that matches against Rafa will help Thiem a lot. He has matured so much.
#RafainFour
Yes.
Def. see Theim winning a set against Rafa. Even 2. Have not seen anyone not named Nadal play that well in RG. (Since 05)
Stan 2015. That’s the clear precedent for today’s performance.
Atul is talking about playing well at throughout. Thiem’s been really dominant from his first match
Yes. That’s what I meant. I believe we are seeing a multiple RG winner. Just hope its not this year.
Still Stan 2015. It’s not like he only played one great match in the final; he played even better beating Roger in the QF.
I guess Alex Zverev will be Thiem’s main rival at the FO. The way Thiem plays, I doubt he could sustain it into his late twenties or early thirties. Hes more about raw power and hard hitting, even though he’s trying to add in more dimensions into his game. His game will be affected as he grows older and beginning to lose his physical power. He’s the younger version of Stan but not as experienced.
Stan started winning late, in his late twenties so perhaps that’s why he’s still good into his thirties.
Rafa OTOH, is a tactical player and so even if he’s slower and less powerful as he ages, he’s able to play a tactical game to win his match(es).
Stan did play well throughout FO2015 and that’s why he could beat Djoko, who’s also playing well, in the final. When Stan won his slam titles, he normally played well throughout the tournament; he wasn’t as great at USO2016 but still survived to reach the final to beat a subpar Djoko there.
In fact Stan had beaten some quality players at FO2015 before beating Djoko in the final. Thiem’s opponents, other than Djoko, weren’t of the same quality imo.
VR, Thiem’s opponents weren’t that tough to start with, missing Goffin. Goffin would give Thiem a run for his money, playing like a Djoko at 80% (not a subpar Djoko of course).
While Fed’s away….
So I guess we won’t have to see anymore if those noleisbsck hashtags!
Now it’s Fed is back!
I can only imagine what I would have had to read if Novak demolished Thiem!
I just want to congratulate those who stuck with their beliefs and picked Thiem to win!
I didn’t think it would go down like that!
I wish Rafa had a full match at least. I want him ready for the semifinal!
Rafa is #2 now!
Now I have to see my recording of the match to check out how Thiem pulled it off!
Wow! What a day!
If only Rafa can win La Decima, we will paint the site red with #Rafaiswellandtrulyback 🙂
Vmk1,
Yes!!!!! If Rafa can win La Decima then we will have to party!
?
NNY said:
“If my ego and self-worth depended on being right about a tennis match, then I would consider myself in big trouble.”
“This is not a battle of egos or a contest to be right.”
Epic.
#ForYourConsideration
#GlassHousesAreEverywhere
Hawkeye,
I am not the one who put those hashtags at the bottom of every post! You did! You went after anyone who dared to disagree and question if Novak is back!
Hey no need to be spiteful about it! Thanks for quoting me again! Maybe you will learn something and not let your ego get in the way! Those words were true then and are true now!
It would have been nice if you could have just said you were wrong this time. But that would be expecting too much!
I was wrong about Thiem because I didn’t think he could pull it off. But I am okay and happy to admit it!
Can you do the same?
“This is not a battle of egos or a contest to be right.”
“Hey no need to be spiteful about it!”
Wow, “someone” is being “absurd” channeling their inner Trump.
#SpiteIsATwoWayStreet
#ThisIsWhyYouFail
NNY, is the Rafa-Thiem semis getting played tomorrow (Thursday)? If it is, then I would argue that Rafa only having to play basically one set could potentially be a good thing for him! If they are playing tomorrow, and Rafa had ended up having a long(ish) match today, then that could have taken a lot out him to come back and play Thiem tomorrow, right? However, if their semifinal match is on Friday, then I definitely see your point that Rafa may have preferred a full match…
I honestly really hope that we get an awesome match between Rafa and Thiem. I will be highly disappointed if Thiem doesn’t truly show up to play… It should help him that he got the Nole match done in relatively straight-forward straight sets. But if their match is tomorrow, I could easily see Thiem being too worn out to even try to take on Rafa the day after crushing Nole. Yes, the match was relatively short, but I’m sure he had to get so mentally hyped up to blast Nole off the court like that, so it could backfire on him like it so often does… If Thiem shows up to really play, then I’ve got Rafa winning in 5. If we get the usual post-beating-of-a-big-four-player Thiem, then I think Rafa will win in straight sets.
both RG semis are always on Friday
Oh ok, nice! Thanks Jim Courier! Btw, you were one of my favorite players growing up. In fact, I’ve always felt like you under appreciated… Since you’re the real Jim a Courier, can I have your autograph?! 🙂
Theim is a big chance of winning his first grand slam.
Hawkeye,
No need to get so pissy about it!
Cheap shot about me channeling my inner Trump! But I guess that’s all you got!
Too bad! Where is your sense of humor about it all? Still can’t admit you were wrong! Oh well, you still have Fed! That hashtag works!
nny STILL doesn’t get it.
More inner Trump:
“No need to get so pissy about it!
Too bad! Where is your sense of humor about it all? ”
Glass houses are everywhere.
As Trump would say….
#SAD
Kevin,
Your question was answered by vamosrafa. But I liked reading your take on how it could all play out. I am not sure what to think now that Thiem beat Novak in such impressive fashion. He won’t be physically tired. As far as the mental aspect of it, that remains to be seen. How much did it take out of him to beat Novak? Or is he so hungry that it won’t matter?
I would have preferred to see Rafa play a whole match. He thrives on match play to get the rhythm and timing on his shots. But it is what it is. PCB was never going to be able to give him a match. I think Thiem lucked out in it having to face Goffin.
Thiem was fried after beating Rafa in Rome by playing high risk tennis that’s why he went down easily to Djoker in the SF not because Djokovic is a bad match for him. People love to jump to conclusions based on one match.
Is a 5:0 head to head record one match?
Good point!
Thiem had never beaten Novak!
“People” LOL.
Dominic Thiem Said AT May 21, 2017:
“I don’t really like to play against him, because he has a game style which doesn’t fit me at all,”
Actually, unless Rafa does very well at grass warm ups and Federer doesn’t, Federer will likely be seeded second at Wimbledon, Rafole will likely be 3 and 4 seed so they won’t be in the tsame half.
Murray better keep getting back in time for Wimby or all is lost.
#RogerIsBack
RT: Asked if he wanna take a break from tennis:”Trust me,I’m thinking about many things right now”.Wow. Novak adds “But I have responsibilities”
Hey-hey! Ho-ho! Pepe le Pew has got-to-go!
(Rinse. Repeat.)
#PepeStinks
I’m curious. I’m wondering why the French Crowd didn’t cheer near as wildly when Thiem beat Nole today compared to when Soderling beat Rafa.
I’m wondering. I’m curious why the French Crowd gave Nole a cheer when he left the court today and didn’t for Rafa when he lost to Soderling.
https://twitter.com/TennisChannel/status/872422124211675137
#RogerIsBack
RT: Novak Djokovic will drop out of the world’s top two for the first time since July 2011.”
#WhatTheCovefe???
As Nole’s mom once said (incorrectly): “The King is dead.”
Karma being a bitch and all…
Rigged draw believers are everywhere…
Ricky Dimon @Dimonator 2h2 hours ago
disaster of epic proportions that Nadal-Thiem is not the final. But hey, at least it wasn’t the QFs which is what I though the draw would do
#Conspirator
#TheTruthIsOutThere
Maybe,the riggers made a mistake – or there was a counter-rigging conspiracy and a mole shuffled Thiem into Nole’s quarter 😉
But it is telling that Ricky actually anticipated that “the draw would do” something. That’s not exactly how we talk about truly random events.
A nice analysis of Rafa’s serve vs last year at RG….
https://twitter.com/TennisChannel/status/872241843177750531
Wow, Thiem beats Nole in QF by almost the exact tsame scoreline that Nole beat Rafa at the same stage in 2015.
5-3-1 vs 6-3-0.
#MentalProblemasAllOverAgain
#BetweenTheEars
Thiem talks about Rafa’s forehand and says it is one of the the best shots ever and it is difficult to control it. He added that he’ll try to put Rafa in uncomfortable positions on the forehand but he is feels he will be conceding quite a few winners.
Rafa’s forehand was BAD in Rome. It will be a beast on Friday. Rafa’s backhand is very good as well so won’t be easy to get short balls.
Rafa in Rome was zero indication of his level.
Thiem will be playing at PC for the first time ever. The king of clay holds the advantage. Rafa in 4 sets is my pick.
I knew Novak wasn’t back. Far too fragile mentally right now, like Rafa in 2015.