Not until a Next Gen star win a Grand Slam title will Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s reign come to an end, according to Dominic Thiem. For well over a decade the Big Three have dominated the majority of major tournaments.
But there may have been a passing of the torch this week as Thiem knocked world No 1 out of the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Alexander Zverev, 22, also reached his maiden Grand Slam semi-final with a victory over veteran Stan Wawrinka.
Thiem and Zverev will go head-to-head on Friday for a place in the final – where they will definitely meet one of the greatest players of all time.
In the other semi-final Federer takes on Djokovic and they are then expected to go on and win the title.
“Well, I mean, I don’t feel really like that I broke a barrier,” Thiem said after beating Nadal.
“It was just an unbelievable match, like epic one, four hours 10. I think on a very high level from both of us. That’s what I’m most happy about.
“Also, of course, that I’m for the first time in the semis of Australian Open. That’s for me a barrier.
“But, well, to really break a barrier, one young player has to win a Slam. 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.”
Thiem has won six of his eight matches against Zverev so he is full on confidence heading into the semi-final.
“We know each other,” he said. “For me, it’s funny because it’s first time in a Grand Slam semi-finals I face a younger guy. We’re good friends.
“I’m happy for him, as well, that he’s playing so good here. He made his breakthrough at a Grand Slam.
“We have no secrets from each other. I mean, we played so many times, also on very special occasions already, at the ATP Finals, semis, French Open quarters.
“It’s a nice rivalry we have. It’s great that we add an Australian Open semi-finals to this one.
“Going to be a close match again. Same if two top-10 players play each other semis of a Slam. The deciding moments are very small, small margins.
“I’m looking forward to it. I try to regenerate as good as possible and then try to be ready 100 per cent for Friday.”
