Sixth-seeded Dominic Thiem reached his second straight French Open semi-final in grand style – by slaying defending champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets – while nine-time champion Rafael Nadal had no such problem in beating compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut in the another quarter-final match.
The good news for India is that seventh seeds Rohan Bopanna and Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada reached the mixed doubles final, beating third seeds A. Hlavackova of Czech Republic E. Roger-Vasselin of France 7-5, 6-3 in a semi-final match.
But the star of the day was Thiem. He lost to Djokovic in the semi-finals in Paris last year, but he turned the result upside down by beating the second seed Serb 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-0 in two hours and 15 minutes in a quarter-final encounter. Quite surprisingly, Thiem ran away with the decider third set in just 20 minutes, with Djokovic seemingly resigned.
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“I didn't play a different game style. I just had a positive win-error statistic, and that was never the case against him before. I could easily have lost the close first set, and it was the key for my first victory against him to then have a good start to the second set as well,” Thiem said. “It's great for me to be in the semi-finals again, to defend that. And of course on Friday is coming the toughest opponent ever here in Roland Garros. Going to be the fourth match against him in five or six weeks. He's again in his best shape.”
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In the semi-finals, Thiem will face fourth-seeded Rafael Nadal, who had an easy passage into the last four stage. Nadal beat 20th-seeded P. Carreno Busta 6-2, 2-0 when his fellow countryman retired with a left abdominal muscle injury.
Thiem, however, is not looking ahead. “Do I feel ready to win a Slam? Difficult question. So far when I have beaten a top guy, I have always played a way worse match the following day. So, I hope I can improve that. I mean, it’s a joke how tough it is to win a Slam. Obviously, now I beat Novak. On Friday is Nadal. In the finals there is another top star. That’s why it’s a Slam – because it’s such a tough achievement,” he said.
In another men’s quarter-final match, top seeded Andy Murray of Great Britain needed two hours and 39 minutes to overcome eighth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(0), 6-1.
In the semi-finals, Murray will face third-seeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka, who beat Croat Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.
