The French Open will have a star-studded Sunday lineup with defending champion Novak Djokovic and nine-time victor Rafael Nadal in fourth round action while third round games still need to be completed after rain washed out play on Saturday. It will be the Serb's eighth consecutive appearance in the Round of 8 at Roland Gaross, joining Rafael and Roger Federer (11) atop the list of most quarter-finals in Paris. Murray advanced to his fourth straight semi-final in Paris, defeating Nishikori to avenge his loss to the Japanese star at the US Open past year.
Finally, Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky defeated 2002 runner-up Venus Williams 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, while Danish 11th seed Caroline Wozniacki knocked out 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the last eight for just the second time.
Djokovic thrashed the youngster 6-1 6-0 when they met in Rome last month. But Djokovic realises that those past victories are irrelevant.
Thiem, who plays with a single-handed backhand, said he needed to improve the defensive side of his game after struggling against the ferocious top-spin on Nadal's forehand during their last few encounters. "I think it will put me in a good place mentally, as well".
"I'm sure he's going to be as motivated as ever, so I expect him to come out and really play his best".
"I told him that he will have to give me many warnings, because if I have not yet grabbed my towel, that he's going to give me a warning", he added.
Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan makes statement on terrorist attacks in Tehran
Iran has indirectly suggested that Saudi Arabia, its major regional rival and a USA ally, played a role in the attack. Pictures on social media showed how people, including children, fled through the windows of the parliament building.
A year ago, Djokovic became the first man in almost a half-century to claim a fourth consecutive major championship and completed a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros.
"I have to change something compared to the last matches", Thiem, the youngest of the quarter-finalists, said.
Rafael Nadal blasted French Open umpire Carlos Ramos on Sunday for treating him like a "machine" and suggested he was being unfairly targeted in an effort to speed up play.
His team was reduced to brother Marko and sometime coach Pepe Imaz, with both wearing T-shirts bearing the Spaniard's mantra of "Amor y Paz" (love and peace). I think Rome was a combination of everything. It's very disturbing that one of the biggest cities in the world, most important cities in the world, you know, some of the most popular locations in the town suffering these terrorist attacks. "Yeah, I also have some experience to play against him. I think he deserves it". "The conditions here in Paris are nearly flawless for my game". The fourth-seeded Spaniard next meets either No. 5 Milos Raonic of Canada or Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.
This season has seen Djokovic go on a lot of unexpected walkabouts at inopportune moments but there was only a firmness and a growing belief on Sunday as he finished off the No.19 seed in two hours and 27 minutes.
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