Even so, Thiem still finds himself in a position analogous to the silent-movie star tied to the railway tracks, waiting for the train called Novak Djokovic to come along. You could tell from Thiem's cautious post-match interview that he knows how far he still stands from the honey pot. "I'll try [to win the title]," he told John McEnroe, "but I was twice in Roland Garros finals facing Rafa [Nadal] and now I am facing Novak here. So, to lift the title, he will have to perform a feat that only Stan Wawrinka has achieved: beating both Nadal and Djokovic in the same major. "We are playing in tough times, we young players," added Thiem, 26.

Source: Irish Independent February 01, 2020 02:48 UTC