‘Roland Garros is Rafael Nadal’s living room,’ admits a fiercely determined Dominic Thiem

Rafael Nadal with French Open trophy

Dominic Thiem has described beating Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros as “the toughest thing you could face in all sports,” but he is desperate for another crack at it.

Nadal has dominated the French Open more than any player has ever dominated any Grand Slam, winning it a dozen times.

The last two of those have been at Thiem’s expense in the final, but he says he wants a third crack at it this year.

“I’ve beaten him four times now in regular tournaments and I have the feeling playing against him at Rolland Garros on Court Philippe Chatrier – it takes his game and all his aura to another level,” Thiem told reporters in Australia ahead of the ATP Cup.

“He has won the tournament 12 times there. It’s like his living room, that Centre Court.

“Playing against him [there] is probably the toughest thing you could face in all sports.

“That’s an unbelievable challenge but I would love to have that challenge again – that chance again – because it would mean I have another deep run there.

“Of course I will try again to beat him but as I said, it’s one of the toughest thing ever asked for in sport.”

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