The French Open final we wanted has materialised, with Rafael Nadal taking on Dominic Thiem. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 11pm (AEST).
While the undisputed king of clay is shooting for his 11th title at Roland Garros, Nadal has had problems in three-set tennis against Thiem in the last 24 months.
They have played twice at the grand slam, with Nadal winning both of those matches, but the only matches Nadal has lost on clay in the last two years have come against Thiem.
The Austrian beat the world No.1 in Rome during 2017 and, more importantly, in Nadal’s home country at Madrid a handful of weeks ago.
Given Nadal’s impeccable record on clay during that time period, the same player beating him twice is unprecedented. Thiem also has a win from 2016 in Buenos Aires, making him only one of two players to beat Nadal three times across a career.
It shows the Spaniard’s dominance on clay though, with Thiem still being right up against it in the final.
Nadal has breezed through the French Open, but did drop a set in the quarter-final against Diego Schwartzman. He also had to save six break points during the first set of the semi-final against Juan Martin Del Potro.
His calmness in doing so suggests Nadal is right at the top of his game, but the power game of Del Potro is similar to the slapping backhand of Thiem, who will look to steer the ball away from Nadal’s forehand. If he can do that consistently and capitalise on opportunities, then there is no reason he can’t do to Nadal what he has done previously.
Thiem showed that power during his semi-final against Marco Cecchinato, which ended in a straight-set beatdown, but posed as a great workout ahead of the final. Given Thiem has also got the better of Alexander Zverev and Kei Nishikori during the tournament, there is no question he deserves his spot in the big dance.
Prediction
Nadal should win, but this might be one of the tougher grand slam titles he has ever earned. We know Thiem can go with Nadal for three sets, expect him to drag this the distance.
Nadal in five sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the men’s final at the French Open from 11pm (AEST) and don’t forget to drop a comment in the section below.
Swannies
Guest
Nadal is unbeatable on clay but Federer is the still best tennis player ever
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
I’m pretty confident in saying Thiem will be a future champion at Roland-Garros; that’s for sure :)
Scott Pryde
Expert
As much as I'd love to hang around for the presentation, it's 2am and I'm buggered, so that's going to do it. Thanks for joining me this morning on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2018 French Open as Rafael Nadal beat Dominic Thiem in the men's singles final. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. That does bring an end to the French Open, so thanks to the whole team behind the scenes at The Roar for making our coverage happen and to Riley Pettigrew for blogging the women's final last night. Of course, that is far from the end of the tennis. We will be back for Wimbledon in a couple of weeks. Don't forget to join me on Wednesday night at 10pm (AEST) for the first ODI between England and Australia and on Friday at 1am (AEST) for the FIFA World Cup opener between Russia and Saudi Arabia. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the match and tournament Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Nope, but Thiem played quite a good match really. There isn't a great deal more he could have done.
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
That is certainly true, Thiem put up a much better fight than Wawrinka last year. He can take that to heart at least.
Scott Pryde
Expert
With that, Nadal holds his world No.1 ranking and moves to over $100 million in career prize money. That figure just boggles the mind. He is the third to do so behind Djokovic and Federer.
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
Well done to Nadal; another fantastic clay court season, and another well earned French Open. Commiserations to Thiem; he fought well at times but such a high amount of errors wasn’t going to lead to the title.
Scott Pryde
Expert
GAME, SET, MATCH, CHAMPIONSHIP, RAFAEL NADAL Finally. It took five championship points, but the king of clay has his 11th French Open crown with a good serve which was returned just slightly long on the backhand. It's taken 2 hours and 42 minutes, but Nadal is just too good. That was a considerably harder final than the one he faced last year against Stan Wawrinka. Dominic Thiem refused to go down without a fight, going all the way to the end there, but at the end of the day, he played a top class game and was beaten by the best ever on this surface. Nadal 6 6 6 Thiem 4 3 2
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem opened up the court nicely enough there, but then went for too much on the short angled forehand and put it wide. Here is the fifth championship point. Nadal 6 6 5 - AD Thiem 4 3 2 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Another one saved! That's a cracking return to the baseline, with Thiem then playing a crosscourt forehand which Nadal put wide up the sideline. Nadal 6 6 5 - deuce (2) Thiem 4 3 2 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Great persistence from Thiem to stay with that point time and time again. Nadal got some luck off the top of the net to save himself, then Thiem put a forehand long as he continued trying to play with depth. Another championship point. Nadal 6 6 5 - AD Thiem 4 3 2 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Now a fault from Nadal. The second is returned on a backhand, then he plays another up the middle of the court. Nadal frames a ball long from the baseline and that's three championship points saved. Nadal 6 6 5 - deuce (1) Thiem 4 3 2 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, Thiem is still not going to give up the ghost. Drop shot from Nadal and that was a pretty good one. Would have been easy for Thiem to shrug the shoulders and end it, but he gets there and volleys a winner to the corner. Nadal 6 6 5 - 40 Thiem 4 3 2 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem will save one of those championship points. Returns well, then hits some good deep forehands before Nadal sends one wide of the sideline. Nadal 6 6 5 - 40 Thiem 4 3 2 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Theim looks for a blocked backhand return to a T serve, but sends it well wide of the sideline. Here it is. Three championship points. Nadal 6 6 5 - 40 Thiem 4 3 2 - 0
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem sends a backhand wide now after a longer point. Rafa is two points away. Nadal 6 6 5 - 30 Thiem 4 3 2 - 0
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem now must break to stay in the match. He returns the first serve wide though off the body and is looking like a dejected and well beaten man out there now. Nadal 6 6 5 - 15 Thiem 4 3 2 - 0
Scott Pryde
Expert
Nadal with a double break Well, this is just about over. Great shot and he has two sets and a double break with a chance to serve for the match on the other side of the change. Nadal 6 6 5 - Thiem 4 3 2 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thiem with a ball into the net now. He had to race forward in answer to a drop shot and couldn't get it over. Two break points. Nadal 6 6 4 - 40 Thiem 4 3 2 - 15