World number one Novak Djokovic is into the 2016 French Open final after a straight sets victory over emerging talent Dominic Thiem. The Serbian-born player coasted to a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 win as he used a quick start to roll his young competitor. Djokovic walked into trouble in the third and final set of the match, but he would eventually overpower the determined Thiem and cement his place at a shot at history.
Starting Strong
Thiem is guaranteed a spot in the top 10 of the ATP rankings after he defeated David Goffin to reach the semifinal. However, the young Austrian had his sights on bigger goals. He needed his best game to topple the world number one but unfortunately struggled to find his footing early in the match.
Djokovic took the first game rather easily without dropping a point. It was in the second game, however, that Thiem was served notice that today's match would not be easy.
Thiem was able to strike a strong forehand winner, giving him his first points of the match. Djokovic responded with a heavy forehand shot of his own and Thiem's subsequent double-fault sent the game towards deuce. There, Djokovic sent cracking returns at sharp angles to eventually break Thiem and take a 2-0 lead.
The younger player would eventually hold twice but he struggled mightily to pick up on the sharp angles of Djokovic's returns. In his final service game of the set, Thiem incorrectly judged two shots by the top seed and the game was sent to deuce yet again. Thiem, much like the first game in which he was broken, committed another double fault. Next, with advantage, the top-ranked player sent a shot to the Austrian's forehand, who returned it in error. The second break clinched the set for Djokovic 6-2.
More of the same
Djokovic, yet again, began the set with a comfortable hold. Thiem, who committed an astonishing 20 unforced errors in the first set, supplied another that gave the Serbian the easy hold.
With a nice volley from his backhand, Thiem would send the crowd watching the match on Court Suzanne Lenglen in a frenzy. They would regularly provide a boost for the young underdog. The Austrian's movement won him his first service game of the set as he punished Djokovic with powerful shots and deft moves. To do so, he provided a heavy mix of baseline returns with his willingness to approach the net.
However, the world's best player was just too much for the emerging talents of Thiem. Djokovic would easily hold and take complete command of the match with consecutive breaks of Thiem's remaining games on serve. The Serbian served out the second set in impressive fashion 6-1.
A shot at history
The Austrian finally stopped the bleeding with a comfortable hold to begin the third set of the semifinal tilt at Roland Garros. He finally broke through as he stunned Djokovic in the second game and sent the crowd roaring to its feet after another hold. Thiem had taken a three games to none lead in the set. There was renewed hope for the Austrian competitor.
Alas, Djokovic tops the ATP rankings for a reason. Down 0-3 in the third, he quickly restored order. The Serbian once again went back to the sharp angles he used earlier in the match. He sent Thiem scrambling across the clay, struggling to pick up on the quick returns the skidded off the red surface.
At one point in the set, Djokovic cracked a searing forehand down the line to give him a break. The winner evened the set at 3-3. The crowd, for much of the day supporting the young underdog, rose to its feet chanting "NOLE, NOLE, NOLE," voicing boisterous pleasure with the display of brilliant tennis from the world number one.
After a back and forth, Djokovic broke Thiem again, setting up match-point on the Serb's serve. Thiem's weak backhand return gave Djokovic another chance to cement his place in history. He now has the opportunity to add a French Open title to his treasure chest, completing a career grand slam.
The crowd rose to congratulate the victor but reserved it most raucous applause for the Austrian competitor. Several chanted his name as he walked off the court, seemingly in recognition that Thiem would be playing the semifinals of grand slam tournaments for years to come.
But the day belonged to Novak Djokovic. He moves on to face Andy Murray, the man who stands in the way of his pursuit of non-calendar grand slam glory. Celebrating with ball girls and boys on Suzanne-Lenglen after the match, Djokovic beamed with victory, seemingly confident of his upcoming tilt with the world number two and, therefore, confident the career grand slam is his to grab.