Magic...

Tennis can still make us experience incredible things...

Match conditions : Rafa has come a long way for a probable final season and a peak of form at Roland Garros. Thiem had an almost complete 2023 season but has still not regained his level. He accumulates sluggish matches

H2H : 10-6 for Rafa. At his prime, Thiem was one of the guys who pissed off Nadal the most. But that was at its peak 😉

Match up : match up quite undecided because new I think. Rafa oriented himself well + on an offensive game with early ball capture and conclusion at the net. This can push Thiem back and we know it's risky for him if he stays too far behind his line.

Personal opinion : Thiem really gives me the impression of a sluggish player who needs to feel his back against the wall to perform at his best. And I'm not just judging his two qualifying matches (where he's already spent more than 5 hours on the court), but rather his entire season. I see Nadal winning a set already, and I imagine Thiem a little too limited to win in 3 sets. Question: is Nadal's rating high enough to consider it value?