The two men most likely to challenge Rafael Nadal for the French Open, Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem will square off in the quarter-finals. Join The Roar for live scores from 10pm (AEST).
The pair have both enjoyed scintillating runs through the clay court season and drawn at second and eighth seed respectively find themselves as the quarter-final match-up for a spot in the semi-finals.
For Zverev, this is breaking new ground. It’s the first time he has been past the fourth round of a grand slam, with the German world No.2 routinely criticised for his meek performances at the top of the sport.
While his form has been anything but superb through the first four rounds, he has continually found ways to get the job done, with three five-setters in the last fortnight.
It’ll leave him fatigued, but knowing he can get it done at the death. Considering the only men he has been beaten by this year on clay are Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori, the German has been in good form.
It’s grand slams which have brought his career undone to this point though and while this feels like an opportunity to finally make his statement on the grand stage, Dominic Thiem has been there and abouts at Roland Garros before.
With a tournament victory and another final under his belt in the lead-up to Roland Garros, Thiem has lost just three sets across the first four rounds and dominated Nishikori in his last match.
While Thiem won’t like having lost those sets, he doesn’t look all that vulnerable. His defence at the back of the court has been superb, the serve firing and if he continues to play like that, Zverev will need to mix his game up to get past him, which will undoubtedly lead to more errors and frustration for the powerful German.
The pair have had six previous meetings, with Thiem winning four of them, including their first three on clay. Zverev has won two of the last three though, including their only match on clay this year in the final of the Madrid Open.
It should give Zverev some confidence, but it’s one of the only factors heading his way in this match-up.
Prediction
Zverev is in unchartered waters, but with all the time he has had to spend on court in Paris, Thiem should run over the top of him at the back end of the match.
Thiem in five sets.
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