Two-time French Open finalist and newly crowned 2020 US Open winner Dominic Thiem plays 2014 US Open winner Marin Cilic in the first round of the 2020 French Open. The match begins at around 1 pm local time (12 noon BST or 7 am Eastern Time) on Monday, September 28. Get the live streaming options of this Dominic Thiem versus Marin Cilic match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Dominic Thiem v Marin Cilic Head to Head
This will be the fourth meeting between the two players. Thiem brings a 3-0 head-to head into this match. All their matches have been on hard courts, with their most recent meeting a fortnight ago in the third round of the US Open, which Thiem won in four sets.
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Fresh From US Open Win, Thiem Returns To Favorite Surface
Dominic Thiem in recent years has been branded as the ‘Prince of Clay’ and the obvious successor to Rafa Nadal on the clay courts in the near future.
Two French Open final losses to Nadal in 2018 and 2019, as well as defeating Nadal on the clay courts of Barcelona, Madrid and Rome are all testament to the Austrian’s skills and abilities on clay. While Thiem would have always been a force to reckon with on the Parisian clay, this time around things are different.
Thiem is now a Grand Slam champion having won the US Open two weeks ago in a dramatic final against Next Gen German Alexander Zverev, coming back from a two set to love deficit to win a spectacular five set epic.
While the Austrian has got the monkey off his back by finally breaking through as a new Grand Slam winner in a Big Three era, there will be the added pressure and expectation from him, as he will now be looked upon differently by many, having won a major. It remains to be seen how well Thiem manages to recover from some of the euphoria as a result of the title in New York.
Having taken the two weeks off in between majors, and opted to not play in either of the Masters 1000 in Rome or the Hamburg ATP 500, Thiem will be looking to get off to a clinical start on clay and get some routine wins under his belt, which will go a long way in getting his confidence going.
The Austrian was not handed the easiest of draws as he begins his campaign against 2014 US Open winner and former world number three Marin Cilic, and is in the same half of the draw as clay court rising stars Casper Ruud and Borna Coric, along with 12 time French Open winner Rafa Nadal.
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Most Difficult Slam Opener for Cilic in a While
Marin Cilic spent most of the last decade ranked within the top ten in the world. He is the 2014 US Open champion, and a finalist at the 2017 Wimbledon and 2018 Australian Open respectively.
The big serving Croat has been ranked as high as world number three and typically a familiar face in the second week of any major.
2019 was a dismal year for Cilic, with injuries and disappointing form and dropping out of the top 40 in the ATP rankings. The Croat started the year well, losing in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Milos Raonic, but showing glimpses of his old self, especially in a five set win against Roberto Bautista Agut, in the third round.
The Croat returned to familiar territory after the pandemic break, at the US Open, but was pushed in the first round in a five setter, and had a none too easy four set win in the next round before he ran into Thiem in the third round.
Although Cilic showed glimpses of his old self, Thiem was able to close out in four sets, on the way to his maiden Grand Slam title.
Never a force on clay per se, Cilic did well to make the quarter-finals of the 2017 & 2018 French Opens, with his big game always suited to the faster courts.
The Croat did play the Italian Open last week, and did well to defeat Alexander Bublik, and David Goffin before being defeated by one of the best clay court players this season, rising Norwegian Casper Ruud.
Thiem v Cilic Prediction and Tip
Although this reads as a great match-up for a Grand Slam opener, the match will not be as competitive on the clay as one may think it could be. Thiem begins as a strong favorite, especially on clay, and if he has recovered well from the US Open win, he should make it to round two, without dropping a set.
Tip: Thiem to win in straight sets: 8/11 (bet365)
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The French Open 2020 will be played from September 27 to October 11. You can watch & bet on the French Open here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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