Each day of the tournament, we'll preview and predict three must-see matches at the French Open.
Novak Djokovic [2] vs. Dominic Thiem [6]
Thiem has said that he doesn’t like playing Djokovic, and it’s easy to see why from their results. In their five meetings, Djokovic has dropped one set. Two weeks ago, the Serb beat the Austrian 6-1, 6-0 on clay in Rome, and last year in Paris he beat him 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals. Why the disparity? It’s a matchup issue: With his compact strokes, Djokovic robs Thiem of the time he needs to unfurl his elaborate swings. While Djokovic gets into a groove, Thiem is rushed. That won’t always be the case; Thiem is too good not to find a way to make inroads on Djokovic at some point. That point may even come on Tuesday. So far at Roland Garros, Djokovic’s sluggish ways have continued, while Thiem has yet to drop a set. But it’s still too much of a stretch to believe he can go from winning one game in Rome to winning three sets in Paris.
Winner: Djokovic