French Open semi-finals preview: Rafael Nadal vs Juan Martin del Potro and Dominic Thiem vs Marco Cecchinato
The final four men remaining in the French Open draw will do battle on Friday, with a place in the final up for grabs.
Among the familiar names of Juan Martin del Potro, Dominic Thiem and, of course, 10-time champion Rafael Nadal sits surprise package Marco Cecchinato.
The world No. 72 will enjoy a jump in the ATP rankings of at least 45 places and he will climb even higher if he advances any further.
He takes on Dominic Thiem in the first match on Philippe-Chatrier, before Nadal and Del Potro collide in an epic.
French Open semi-finals
Day 13 schedule (Chatrier)
Thiem v Cecchinato
Nadal v Del Potro
To win the tournament (odds Betfair)
Nadal – 3/10
Thiem – 4/1
Del Potro – 14/1
Cecchinato – 50/1
Here we take a brief look at both encounters and offer a prediction as to who will reach the final stage in Paris.
Dominic Thiem vs Marco Cecchinato
Thiem will almost certainly have been expecting to face Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals but after the gutsy Italian stunned the 12-time Grand Slam champion, he will meet Cecchinato instead.
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The Austrian is into his third consecutive French Open semi-final. Hes yet to go beyond this stage and has lost to the eventual winner (Djokovic 2016, Nadal 2017) in the past two years.
Cecchinato hadnt won a single main draw match at a major in his career prior to this tournament but has incredibly beaten Pablo Carreno Busta, David Goffin and Djokovic en route to the last four.
Thiem vs Cecchinato
Odds
Thiem – 2/15
Cecchinato – 5/1
Head to head
N/A
Thiem route to semi-finals
R1: 6-2 6-4 6-1 Ivashka
R2: 6-2 2-6 6-4 6-4 Tsitsipas
R3: 6-3 6-7 6-3 6-2 Berrettini
R4: 6-2 6-0 5-7 6-4 Nishikori
QF: 6-4 6-2 6-1 Zverev
Cecchinato route to semi-final
R1: 2-6 6-7 7-5 6-2 10-8 Copil
R2: 6-1 7-6 6-1 Trungelliti
R3: 2-6 7-6 6-3 6-1 Carreno Busta
R4: 7-5 4-6 6-0 6-3 Goffin
QF: 6-3 7-6 1-6 7-6 Djokovic
Thiem, whose draw looked horrific on paper, was handed a reprieve due to Alexander Zverevs injury problems in the quarter-finals and by avoiding Djokovic, his chances of not only reaching the final but winning the tournament have significantly improved.
I suspect Cecchinato will run out of steam both physically and emotionally at this stage and expect Thiem to show his class on this surface to reach a first Grand Slam final.
Prediction: Thiem in 3
MORE: Who is French Open semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato and why was he accused of match fixing?
Rafael Nadal vs Juan Martin del Potro
A thrilling semi-final match-up on paper, Nadal will face his sternest test yet against the giant Argentine.
Del Potros compatriot Diego Schwartzman caused the Spaniard major bother in the quarter-finals, although a couple of rain delays saw him get back on track, but Nadal has never lost from this stage onwards at Roland Garros in 20 matches.
Only two men have ever beaten him on the clay courts of Paris and it remains arguably the toughest ask in sport.
Nadal vs Del Potro
Odds
Nadal – 2/15
Del Potro – 5/1
Head to head
Nadal 9-6 Del Potro
Nadal route to semi-finals
R1: 6-4 6-3 7-6 Bolelli
R2: 6-2 6-1 6-1 Pella
R3: 6-3 6-2 6-2 Gasquet
R4: 6-3 6-2 7-6 Marterer
QF: 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 Schwartzman
Del Potro route to semi-final
R1: 1-6 6-1 6-3 6-4 Mahut
R2: 6-4 6-3 6-2 Benneteau
R3: 7-5 6-4 6-1 Ramos-Vinolas
R4: 6-4 6-4 6-4 Isner
QF: 7-6 5-7 6-3 7-5 Cilic
Del Potro is certainly a man for the big occasion, though it was somewhat surprising he was even able to compete in Paris after injuring his groin in Rome.
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He will look to keep the points short and dictate off his huge serve and forehand – he certainly has the weapons to make life tricky for the Spaniard.
Although Nadal has not hit the dizzying heights of 2017, it still would require a titanic performance to beat him and therefore one has to back the King of Clay.
Prediction: Nadal in 4
More: Tennis
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