Rafael Nadal: The ONE match Dominic Thiem can draw confidence from for French Open final

That’s the verdict of former world No 1 Jim Courier.

Thiem takes on two-time defending Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal this afternoon in a repeat of last year’s final.

Nadal is the overwhelming favourite for the contest having won all of his previous 11 finals on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The ‘King of Clay’ is imperious on what is his favourite court on his favourite surface and has dropped just one set in his six matches so far over the last two weeks in Paris.

That’s despite the world No 2 having had to overcome the likes of Kei Nishikori and long-time rival Roger Federer en-route to the final.

But in today’s championship match, newly-turned 33-year-old Nadal faces a man in Dominic Thiem who has defeated him four times on clay already.

Their last meeting came at the Barcelona Open in April as Thiem won 6-4, 6-4 on the red dirt at another tournament where Nadal is an 11-time champion

Thiem also boasts wins over Nadal at the Argentina Open, the Italian Open and the Madrid Open having been the only man to beat Nadal on clay in 2017 and 2018.

That offers the Austrian some hope to cling to going into the final but he was beaten in straight sets when they met in this exact match 12 years ago.

And Courier – a two-time French Open winner having been victorious in 1991 and 1992 – insists that if Thiem is to come out victorious this time, he can take plenty from his win over Nadal in Spain three months ago.

Courier told the ATP Tour’s official website: “It’s important, the fact that he’s beaten Rafa on clay, the fact that he’s beaten him this year in Barcelona, a tournament that’s very important to Rafa. 

“That certainly should and I imagine will give him confidence to believe that he could go toe-to-toe with Nadal.

“Whether that’s enough to beat him in best of five, we’ll see. 

“Many have beaten Rafa in best of three on clay, but few have done it in best of five. 

“But he does have the ability to do it. He knows that from a two-out-of-three standpoint. 

“If you could win two sets, you might be able to convince yourself you can win three.”

Previewing the contest, Thiem said: “To play Rafa here on this court is always the ultimate challenge, one of the toughest challenges [in] sports in general.

“I played a really good match against him in Barcelona. It was six weeks ago. So I try to do similar even though it’s way tougher to play him here.

“But I try to keep all the positive emotions I’m having from this amazing match today and go with a really positive mind into the match tomorrow, and then we’ll see. It’s an unbelievable opportunity.

“I said last year that I hope to get another chance in a grand slam final and hope to do better then, so tomorrow there is the chance.”

source: express.co.uk