Challengers hoping for changing of the guard

DOMINIC Thiem and Alexander Zverev are optimistic grand slam tennis’ long awaited revolution is finally under way, but neither is convinced the era of the Big Three is over. Yet.

Desperate to avoid becoming victims of a false dawn, Thiem and Zverev will square off tonight for the right to face either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final.

Having eliminated world No. 1 Rafael Nadal (19 majors) in the quarter-finals, Austria’s Thiem could face similarly decorated opposition in the championship match – Federer (20) or Djokovic (16).

The same scenario confronts Germany’s Zverev, who ousted Swiss Stan Wawrinka, winner of three majors, in the quarters.

Thiem, who has lost two French Open finals to Nadal, insists it’s too early to talk of a changing of the guard.

“To really break a barrier, one young player has to win a slam,” he said. “Yeah, one of us going to be in the finals.

“But it’s still a very long way to go. I mean, other semi-finals is still two of the big three. I think we are still a pretty long way from overtaking or from breaking this kind of barrier.” Zverev agrees.

“Maybe,” he said. “I did beat Stan just now, who is also a multiple grand slam champion, which gives me a little bit of confidence that I can do it.

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve done well at other tournaments. I’ve won Masters Series, World Tour Finals.

“But the grand slams were always the week where I kind of even wanted it too much.

“I was doing things in a way too professional.

“I was just really almost too, too focused.

“Maybe this is a stepping stone. Maybe this is how it should happen. We’ll see how it goes now in two days’ time.”