8th June, 2019
Austrian Dominic Thiem sent an emphatic warning down to the old guns, such as defending champions Rafa Nadal that the newbreed of tennis players have truly arrived after he led World number one Novak Djokovic 4-1 in the decisive fifth set at Roland-Garros on Saturday.
Play was interrupted by rain for the second time and second day as Thiem occupied pole position. He led Djokovic Friday 3-1 when the play was put off and still led him 4-1 today in the decider.
Both players had tied 2-2 in the four sets played, 6-2 3-6 7-5 5-7.
The Austrian who was 2-6 in head-to-head clashes with Djokovic before today’s clash last defeated the Serbian at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2018 and French Open in 2017.
Djokovic won their semi-final clash in Madrid recently.
Unless Djokovic can spin some magic, Thiem, world number four is on course to meet in-form Nadal in the finals tomorrow. Nadal had thrashed veteran Roger Federer in three sets on Friday.
Thiem was leading Djokovic 3-1 in the third set on Friday when the play was called off as a result of rain. The play resumed Saturday afternoon, with Thiem taking off where he stopped, winning the set 7-5.