Rafael Nadal has just one more hurdle to overcome before a French Open final, but it’s the only man who has beaten him on clay this year, Dominic Thiem standing in his way. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the second semi-final from around 11:30pm (AEST).
After making the final of the Australian Open to start 2017, Nadal was always expected to go big in Paris and he hasn’t failed to live up to expectations.
He dropped just a single match all clay court season and is yet to drop a set at the French Open, dropping just 22 games across his five sets.
Even with a retirement from Pablo Carreno-Busta in the quarter-final, he is dropping less than two games per set on average, and it shows there is simply no one who has been able to go with him for even the smallest period of time.
His fourth-round demolition of Roberto Bautista Agut was probably the most impressive as he knocked out his seeded countryman 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in a display that screamed dominance.
As mentioned though, Thiem is the only man who has managed to beat Nadal on the red stuff this year, and he will take come confidence out of that.
He has been the second best player on clay this season, with the Austrian losing the final in both Barcelona and Madrid to Nadal before finally getting over the top of the world No.4 in Rome. What made it more impressive was the straight sets nature.
Thiem has improved each time he has faced Nadal, but then, Nadal looks in better form now than what he did in Rome.
Like Nadal, Thiem is yet to drop a set at Roland Garros. He rolled over the top of Bernard Tomic in the first round and hasn’t looked back, recording seemingly simple wins over Simone Bolleli, Steve Johnson and Horacio Zeballos to get into the quarter-finals.
There, he faced Novak Djokovic who had beaten him in Rome. Despite that, Thiem came out all guns blazing, won a first set tie-breaker and then held to love in the third set in what was a fantastic display.
As poor as Djokovic was, Thiem has a way of using his power and working out opponents the more he plays them, so the fact he has played Nadal three times this year leaves him in with a shot.
The problem for the Austrian is that Nadal will have had time to review from his last defeat to Thiem, and those matches were three-set affairs. This is a completely different beast.
Prediction
Thiem will push Nadal, but it would be a shock to see the fourth seed bounced out of the tournament. Regardless, whoever wins this match will go into the favourite as final, and don’t be shocked if it’s Nadal.
Nadal in five sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the second men’s semi-final at the French Open from around 11:30pm (AEST) or at the completion of Andy Murray versus Stan Wawrinka and don’t forget to add a comment below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Unfortunately, that's going to be where I leave the coverage this morning. Hopefully you have enjoyed it, with Stan Wawrinka picking up a win first and Rafael Nadal well on the way to doing the same against Dominic Thiem. The live scores ticker embedded in the article will continue to update so feel free to follow that. I'll be back on Sunday night from 11pm (AEST) with the men's final. Tim Miller will bring you the women's final from 11pm (AEST) this evening. I'll be live from 11am (AEST) with Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem holds. Down the T and Nadal can' respond. Nadal 6 3 - Thiem 3 2 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Nadal just finding this way too easy. Nadal 6 3 - 15 Thiem 3 1 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Thiem before he goes wide. Nadal returns a short angle, then goes up the line with a forehand, but it's wide.
Scott Pryde
Expert
ACE! Thiem goes wide. Nadal 6 3 - 0 Thiem 3 1 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem with some wonderful next play after a wide serve to win that point. Hit a lovely approach shot and then stayed patient at the net. Nadal 6 3 - 0 Thiem 3 1 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Nadal before he goes down the middle. Thiem again returns with plenty of depth, but eventually overcooks a forehand. Nadal consolidates the second set break. Nadal 6 3 - Thiem 3 1 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem returns serve out this time. Nadal 6 2 - 40 Thiem 3 1 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Wide serve from Nadal and that's a pretty good return from Thiem, who gets on top of the point and then smokes a corner forehand. Nadal 6 2 - 30 Thiem 3 1 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Nadal before he goes at the body and Thiem swings the backhand wide. Nadal 6 2 - 30 Thiem 3 1 - 0
Scott Pryde
Expert
The shadows starting to darken over the court now at 7:15pm local time. Sunset still more than 2 hours away, mind you. Nadal on serve and he starts with a big one down the middle. Great return, but Thiem makes a pretty ordinary error on a forehand. Nadal 6 2 - 15 Thiem 3 1 - 0
Scott Pryde
Expert
Nadal breaks Too good. He just doesn't stop. Got to the net over the course of a number of shots there before putting away a forehand down the line Nadal 6 2 - Thiem 3 1 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Wide serve from Thiem and Nadal returns with plenty of depth on the forehand. Thiem has to go on the run and he puts a forehand into the net. Nadal 6 1 - AD Thiem 3 1 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem now looks for a big wind up forehand and misses, sending it fractionally wide. Nadal 6 1 - Thiem 3 1 - deuce (3)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Thiem before Nadal returns the second down the cent of the round. Thiem on the run more often than not and havinng to do a lot of defending. The drop shot brings Nadal undone though as he slides into a shot and puts it into the net. Nadal 6 1 - Thiem 3 1 - AD
Scott Pryde
Expert
Nadal gets it back to deuce. Nadal 6 1 - deuce (2) Thiem 3 1 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem now serves down the middle.Not a bad return from Nadal but he is on the defensive and has no chance of getting to a volley. Nadal 6 1 - Thiem 3 1 - AD
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem with a fault before Nadal returns the second serve wide. Nadal 6 1 - Thiem 3 1 - deuce (1)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Nadal wins two straight points, the second on the back of a big run around forehand down the line. Break point. Nadal 6 1 - 40 Thiem 3 1 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Wide serve and Nadal returns into the net. Nadal 6 1 - 15 Thiem 3 1 - 30