Alexander Zverev vs Dominic Thiem
Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem will meet again since their Madrid Open final match-up, and this time, they will be fighting for something bigger: the right to move on to the French Open semi-finals.
These two are starting to build what could be a compelling rivalry in the near future, and it’s interesting to see who will shine brighter on the grandest stage that tennis could offer.
Zverev has proven this clay-court season that he is the future of tennis. Besides Rafael Nadal, one could argue that no player is having a better campaign in the surface than the German ace.
However, Thiem will be keen to prove otherwise. He has been on a tear at Roland Garros and will hope to maintain his fiery form when he plays the young and rising Zverev.
Our French Open betting odds point to a tight affair, and that might not be far-fetched given the way things are shaping up.
Talking Points
When discussing this game, it’s hard to ignore the current form of Zverev. He is coming off a five-set thriller against fellow NextGen star Karen Khachanov, his third five-set match in just five days!
More noteworthy is the fact that Zverev found himself trailing 2-1 after three sets in all those contests before winning the final two frames of each.
While the optimist would say that it just proves the 21-year-old has the composure when the going gets tough, it still shows an alarming trend.
Not to mention that it also raises concerns about his durability. Sure, becoming the first top-two seed since Stefan Edberg (in the 1992 US Open) to win three straight five-set matches is an impressive feat, but it certainly won’t help his legs moving forward.
Zverev, however, remains confident about his chances, claiming that he’s not feeling fatigued just yet: “I’m not concerned. Mental, definitely not, because, you know, I’m in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam.”
“If you’re mentally fatigued, then something is wrong with you. Physically, obviously it’s not easy to play, you know, back to back to back five-set matches, but I will manage it somehow.”
On the other hand, while Zverev is suffering, Thiem is having a great time in the French Open. The World No.8 recently beat Kei Nishikori, hitting 41 winners and winning 85 percent of his first serve points to fend off the Japanese star.
He has dropped a set in each of his last three matches in the tournament, though there’s no doubt he is in a much better form than his French Open quarter-final opponent. If the Austrian can keep his service game clicking, Zverev will likely have a hard time against him.
History
These two have met six times, with Thiem winning four. Nonetheless, Zverev won their latest match in the Madrid Open finals, thrashing the 24-year-old in straight sets.
In fact, Thiem barely posed a challenge to Zverev in that match-up as the World No.3 bagged his third Masters 1000 title.
Nonetheless, it should be noted that Thiem is 3-1 against Zverev on clay court. He is also riding an eight-game winning streak on the surface, having won four matches on his way to the Lyon Open title last month.
Moreover, who could forget Thiem’s record in the French Open? It’s safe to say that he’s a veteran in this tournament. He has made it to the semi-finals of Roland Garros in the past two years, beating the likes of David Goffin (2016) and Novak Djokovic (2017) in the last eight.
Zverev, in contrast, will be playing in his first career Grand Slam quarterfinal, and that inexperience may prove costly this time around.
“It’s going to be a very tough match against him. He’s going to be pumped. It’s his first quarterfinals. So he wants to move on, for sure,” Thiem said via Reuters. “So I hope I’m a little bit more experienced in this one.”
“I think for me it’s time to move on to make a great step, because I’m turning 25. I’m not that young anymore. That’s his part. He’s only 21.”
What are the odds?
Considering Thiem’s form and big-stage experience, it’s no wonder why SBOBET odds expect him to win. He is at outright odds of 1.65, while Zverev is at a far off 2.23.
SBOBET Asian Handicap sports betting, however, suggests that it might go the distance. Zverev at Asian Handicap +1.50 pays only at 1.67 while Thiem at a -1.50 set handicap pays with hefty odds of 2.20—meaning that a one-set win is a likely outcome in this one.
Other notable match-ups
French Open Men’s Singles QF
- Marco Cecchinato vs Novak Djokovic: Two years after his match-fixing ban, Cecchinato is now in dreamland. He beat David Goffin in the fourth round to reach the last eight and will be dreaming of another upset when he plays the highly favoured Novak Djokovic.
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