Dominic Thiem
PROS: Thiem staked his claim as an elite claycourter by reaching the 201■ and 2019 Roland Garros finals, losing both to Nadal, after making the semifinals the two previous years. In 2020, the 2■-year-old Austrian extended his prowess to hard courts. His concussive topspin groundstrokes and big serve carried him to the Australian final, and seven months later he won his first major title at the US Open.
Thiem didn’t defeat any of the Big Three at Flushing Meadows, but rest assured, he can. Nicknamed “The Dominator,” he went a combined 9-3 against the trio during 2019–20. Aside from grass — he has a horrendous 5-6 record at Wimbledon — he can win anywhere, including indoors, where he’s made two finals at the ATP Finals.
A severe right wrist injury at the Mallorca Championships on June 22 ended his sub-par season with a 9-9 record and dropped him out of the top 10 to No. 15 for the first time since June 2016.
CONS: Thiem is targeting a return at the 2022 Australian Open, but how soon and how fully will he regain his elite form? Although Nadal and Federer have declined since 2020, can the Austrian stave off a phalanx of ambitious New Genners who have emerged as legitimate contenders to take down Djokovic?