TENNIS NEWS – FROM PARIS – THE FUTURE IS NOW: GOFFIN, THIEM SET UP HIGH-STAKES QUARTERFINAL CLASH AT ROLAND GARROS 2016

Written by: Staff on 1st June 2016

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

TENNIS NEWS - FROM PARIS - THE FUTURE IS NOW: GOFFIN, THIEM SET UP HIGH-STAKES QUARTERFINAL CLASH AT ROLAND GARROS 2016

epa05340228 David Goffin of Belgium in action against Ernests Gulbis of Latvia during their men's single round of 16 match at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 01 June 2016. EPA/Caroline Blumberg |

By Ricky Dimon

Every one of the top five players in the world are is at least 29 years old. Some are beginning to slow done; others are not. In fact, three of the five are still alive at this French Open. Inevitably, though, Father Time will catch up with them all.

And when it does, David Goffin and Dominic Thiem could be at the top of men’s tennis.

For now, they are both in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in their careers. Goffin overcame Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday afternoon at Roland Garros. Thiem joined him in the last eight by holding off Marcel Granollers 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-4.

In his rain-delayed match against Gulbis, the 13th-ranked Belgian–who trailed 3-0 in the first set prior to Wednesday–committed a mere 16 unforced errors to Gulbis’ 68.

“Happiness, of course,” Goffin said when asked how it feels to be in the quarters. “Total bliss. And these three days (of rain) were very tiring. It was tough; two days when we almost didn’t play at all–so a bit like nightmare. I played a good match today…so I’m going to enjoy it now. But then tomorrow we’re back again.”

Dominic Thiem of Austria in action against Marcel Granollers of Spain during their men’s single round of 16 match at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 01 June 2016. EPA/IAN LANGSDON

Thiem will also be back one day after finish his fourth-rounder, although he played only two sets against Granollers on Wednesday. After splitting the first two sets, the 15th-ranked Austrian cruised through the last two upon resumption.

“It’s a real great thing,” Thiem said of making it this far at a major, an accomplishment that he admitted had left a glaring hole in his otherwise sparkling resume. “Like two years ago I was here with Ernests and he played (in the) semifinals, back then I couldn’t really imagine that I’d go this far myself one day. It’s already here like two years later, and it feels really good.”

A breakthrough run to the quarters of a slam will not be the only accomplishment in store for either Goffin or Thiem. Outside of a rare quarterfinal contest between two title favorites, such as Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal last year at Roland Garros, you will never find a matchup at this stage of a major with higher stakes. The Goffin-Thiem winner will not only reach a Grand Slam semi for the first time in his career, but he will also reach the top 10 for the first time ever next week. The loser, at least for the moment, will be No. 11.

“I’m very proud to have made it (to the quarterfinals),” Goffin assured. “But I wasn’t obsessed with it. I’m not obsessed with my ranking or my results. I wanted to do my best so that these things would happen. And when they do happen, it really shows that the work you put in before bears fruit–pays off.”

Get ready for a lot more fruit both now and in the future.