"Beating Nadal at Roland-Garros is the toughest thing in sport" says Dominic Thiem

Dominic Thiem is a 2x finalist at Roland-Garros having lost both times to Rafael Nadal and he knows just how hard beating him in Paris really is.

Dominic Thiem arrived in Paris in the worst clay form in several years but he hopes the Roland-Garros will change that. He played 7 matches on clay in 2021 and only one three of them losing to players he normally beats with ease on the surface. The Austrian explained he would like to build form as the event progresses:

“That's my hope. First of all, to work myself into that tournament, I definitely need to play better than I did last week in Lyon [where I lost in my opening match]. If I do that, I'm practising and working hard to give myself a chance to play well at least. I hope I can do that in the match as well”

Thiem was also asked about avoiding the big three as he landed on the other side of the draw to which he said:

“Maybe two, three years ago I would have been happy if that would be the case, but I think the way I'm coming into that tournament, the way I also played the past weeks, the only thing I can focus on is the first round. Of course, I know that Big Three are all in the [top] half and Roger and Novak are even in one quarter. But for myself, it doesn't matter so much. I just basically focus now on the first round.”

Thiem can't play any of the big three unless they meet in the French Open final but he reflected on playing them before:

“I think that all of them are super tough to play, and all of them have their favourite surface, as well. But in my opinion, to play Rafa here on [Court Philippe] Chatrier, it's still the toughest challenge. But I guess also outside of tennis, it's probably one of the most difficult things ever in sports, in general, to beat him here on this court."