Tennis experts predict that Dominic Thiem will replace Rafael Nadal in a few years of time. In other words, “Thiem is the successor of Nadal,” and he draws parallels with the Spaniard much more than anyone else.

To no one’s surprise, World Number two Nadal also perceives the same. He feels that Thiem hits the ball in the same fashion as he does. His forehands are as ferocious as Rafa’s. Dominic powerfully places the ball on both the flanks with his single-hand backhands. Also, his groundstrokes serve as an attacking and a defensive weapon.

“I think the intensity we put in every single shot, we put a very, very high intensity in every point, in every hit, and it’s something I like about him and it’s something I did during all my career,” Rafael Nadal shared about the aggressive Austrian on the ATP Tour.

Can Dominic Thiem dethrone Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros?

Only two players on the ATP Tour have defeated Nadal on the crushed bricks of Paris, Roland Garros. And arguably with Thiem sustaining in the long baseline rallies, he is next favorite to stop the ‘King of Clay’ in his backyard.

Even this year, as always, Nadal is the clear favorite to clinch the French Open title. But seemingly, Thiem has the prowess to stop him on the Parisian terre-battue. Till date, he has recorded four victories over Rafa on clay, and also beaten him at a Grand Slam.

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Rafa’s admiration for Dominic

At a personal level, Rafa adores Dominic’s tennis and he is close to him. During the Australian Open 2020 finals between Thiem and Novak Djokovic, Rafa was rooting for Thiem and he wanted the Austrian to make his breakthrough on the major court.

“Obviously, yes (I would have preferred Thiem’s victory). I don’t have to be a hypocrite, right? It would have been better for me personally if Thiem won,” Nadal said.

“I Don’t Have to be a Hypocrite” – Rafael Nadal Wanted Novak Djokovic to Lose

However, Thiem fell short by two games and gave Djokovic his 17th Grand Slam title.