When a brutal French Open draw for Dominic Thiem was laid out two weeks ago, his expected path to the final included Kei Nishikori in the fourth round, Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, and Novak Djokovic in the semis.
Nishikori in the fourth round? Check.
Zverev in the quarterfinals? Check.
Djokovic in the semis? That looked like a lock heading into Tuesday, but it did not come to fruition. Marco Checchinato stunned the 12-time Grand Slam champion 6-3, 6-7(4), 1-6, 7-6(11) in a three-hour and 24-minute battle to book his improbable place in the last four.
The 25-year-old’s reward is a third career contest against Thiem–first at the main-tour, main-draw level–on Friday afternoon. They split their two previous encounters (both on hard courts), with Cecchinato prevailing 6-3, 6-4 in the final of a 2013 Futures event at home in Italy before Thiem scored a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory in 2014 Doha qualifying.
Each man is now seeking a first-ever appearance in a much, much different kind of final; that, of course, being a major. It would be a natural progression for Thiem, a staple of the ATP’s top 10 in recent seasons and already a two-time Roland Garros semifinalist even before this current stop in Paris. Also in fine form on the slow stuff in 2018, the 24-year-old Austrian upset Rafael Nadal in Madrid and eventually finished runner-up there to Alexander Zverev–a loss he avenged with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 beatdown on Tuesday. Thiem preceded that win by defeating Ilya Ivashka, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, and Kei Nishikori in mostly routine fashion.
Cecchinato, on the other hand, has done this completely out of nowhere. The world No. 72 had never won a single Grand Slam match prior to this fortnight and he owned a grand total of four ATP-level match victories prior to the 2018 campaign. Cecchinato started to pick up plenty of momentum at the beginning of this clay-court swing, with successful qualification and a second-round performance in Monte-Carlo followed by a title in in Budapest as a lucky loser. Before stunning Djokovic in the quarters, he ousted Marius Copil (10-8 in the fifth set), Marco Trungelliti, Pablo Carreno Busta, and David Goffin.
“Cecchinato is full of confidence,” Thiem assured. “He (had) never won a match at a slam, and now…in the semifinals. So he can play completely free. [It’s] going to be tough; semifinals of a Grand Slam is always.”
“I won last match against Dominic Thiem, I think,” Cecchinato incorrectly reflected. “(It) was the final in one Future. So I remember this match, and I want to believe [that I can also beat] Dominic Thiem.”
The underdog was wrong about beating Thiem in their last match; he is not wrong in thinking that he can win on Friday. But that would require not only the best tennis of his career, but also a significant off day for Thiem. The world No. 8 is showing no signs of turning in any kind of subpar performance at what is clearly his favorite tournament, and Cecchinato will be hard-pressed to duplicate his effort against Djokovic in what is yet another biggest-match-of-career situation.
Pick: Thiem in 3
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Chech starting to groove!
Dom better stop him gaining momentum!
Game has developed into a damp squib!
Better if this match is over in 3 so rafa Delpo can start on time!
ikr!
Thiems gonna win but still cecchinato playing much better than his +1000 odds bookies gave him. That’s just disrespectful.
Thiem truly messing things up; he’s learning fast from the subpar Djoko! He’s throwing the second set away Im afraid.
The pressure too much at times but thiem still gonna win
Win or lose what a strong performance by the Italian. Even down a lot in tie break he doesn’t fold.
The Italian guy’s matches are full of drama! Crowd loving it, he’s fast making a name for himself whether he wins or not.
Check had his chances! indeed!
Dammit bro, couldn’t get the set point
It’s over. I would just fold with a broken spirit after not winning serving with a sp.
Too good Theim. 2 clutch serves on the line and a clutch drop shot from way behind the baseline
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qxudaGdhV3soWRQFhYGS9y7k50f-LqYK/view?usp=drivesdk
Checch played a bit safe today, like he had something to lose.
Jim Courier, I told you so yesterday. Marco didn’t play bad at all today, but winning? Nah, that was more than unlikely. He’s no Guga Kuerten , who had the nerve and the talent to go all the way.
Nadal is huffing and puffing out there. It’s too hot for a 34yr old
This match had upset written all over it.
Rafa battling with game point.
Rafa holds. Delpo seemed to stumble and tweak his hip.
Delpo has asked for the physio.
Guga was 20. Ceccy is 25. He played very well and Thiem made some ugly errors (bricked volleys? was he a bricklayer in a previous life?) but ability paid off in the end.