After a year inside the Top 10 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, Dominic Thiem now feels like he belongs among the elite group.

It wasn’t always that way, though. For a time, Thiem looked at the Top 10 as a place for his “idols”, not a destination for the 20-something Austrian.

“If you come there for the first time at quite a young age, I don’t know, you look up to them, to the other ones in the Top 10 and feel strange somehow, because they have been your idols and now you’re with them,” said Thiem, who joined the group as a 22 year old after his Roland Garros semi-final run last year.

But the Austrian has more than proved he’s among the best of the best on the ATP World Tour, and he now feels that way as well.

“It’s very nice to be in the Top 10. I’m very pleased that I have been there for one year now. I didn’t quite expect it when I came in the first time last year,” Thiem said. “Now I’m a little bit more confident. I feel that I belong there, basically, and it’s a little bit easier for me.”

Thiem’s semi-final run last year in Paris (l. to Djokovic) propelled him to No. 7 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Heading into Roland Garros, which starts Sunday, the Austrian is back at the career-high position and a popular pick to return to the semi-finals or go farther in Paris.

The 6’1” right-hander has gone 12-4 during the European clay-court swing, with two of his four losses coming against nine-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal. But Thiem is also the only player to have beaten Nadal during the clay-court season, upsetting the “King of Clay” 6-4, 6-3 last week in the Rome quarter-finals.

Thiem During European Clay-Court Swing

“The win over Rafa was of course a big thing for me. I played the best player on clay three times in three tournaments. I learned a lot from that matches, so I think I prepared well for this tournament,” Thiem said.

The two could meet in the semi-finals in Paris. Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 4-2, and all six matches have come on clay.

Read More: Nadal Prepares For Run At History

“He’s back at his best this year, and then also he’s won [Roland Garros] nine times. So he knows how it works to win here,” Thiem said. “I think he will try everything to win ‘La Décima’. I think it will be very unique in tennis to win a Grand Slam title ten times. It’s pretty crazy. So 100 per cent he’s the one to beat here and the big favourite.”

Thiem, the sixth seed, opens against Aussie Bernard Tomic on Monday. The 23-year-old Thiem won their only prior FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting at the 2016 Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco.

“I feel good. I always come here with a good feeling. I played finals as a junior six years ago. Then last year the semis,” Thiem said. “Obviously it’s my favourite surface, so it’s always a good feeling to come back. And as I defended many [Emirates ATP Rankings] points in the last weeks in Rome and Madrid, I don’t come here with that much pressure.”

After coaching Andre Agassi to a Roland Garros title, ESPN tennis analyst Brad Gilbert believes his former charge has the tennis wisdom to do the same for defending champion Novak Djokovic.

Speaking on an ESPN conference call ahead of Roland Garros, the former No. 4 in the Emirates ATP Rankings shared his thoughts on the partnership. Although some have questioned how successful the new coaching arrangement will be, Gilbert said the similarities in their playing styles could spark a successful relationship.

“Andre played his best tennis from 29 on. Djokovic just turned 30. Today’s 30 is like 25 used to be,” said Gilbert. “A lot of times when I’m watching Djokovic, when he’s playing at his best, nobody plays closer to the style that Andre played. He hits big, but with safe margins in the court. He doesn’t hit a lot of winners, but hits very few unforced errors when he’s playing his best tennis.

“I think it’s really exciting that Andre is going to coach for the first time. A lot of players have approached him before. He brings an incredible amount of knowledge, wisdom and passion. It’s just getting to know each other at the start, but I think the potential is there for an exciting partnership.”

Gilbert also discussed the resurgence of Rafael Nadal, who remains an on-paper favourite to win his 10th title at Roland Garros. Although the Spaniard suffered his first loss on clay this year to Dominic Thiem at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, Gilbert doesn’t think the loss will hold much weight heading into Paris.

“He’s serving a lot better this year. He doesn’t have a massive serve, but his serve really sets up his game. I think his forehand looks as good as it has in the past two or three years,” he said. “He’s hitting a lot more aggressively and with more confidence. Those are two aspects of his game that really can lift him. He’s playing at an elite level again.”

Having also coached World No. 1 Andy Murray for 16 months from July 2006 to November 2007, Gilbert also believes last year’s Roland Garros finalist can’t be counted out. Although Murray is experiencing a dip in form on clay compared to his stellar 2016, Gilbert said the gritty play required to succeed in Paris is tailor made for Murray’s personality.

“He was dictating play a lot more last year on clay, especially with the forehand,” said Gilbert. “Having that balance between offence and defence has been an issue. But he has plenty of time to turn it around. He loves the fight. He’s not about the show and the bling. He loves the guts and working hard.

“I do think the resurgence of Roger Federer and Rafa will only inspire Novak and Andy. For years, Djoker and Murray were chasing them. Now it’s back to those guys chasing them again. I think this will inspire Andy to put a little fuel to the fire.”

The season of “La Décima” ascends to its final stage during the next two weeks, and the conquistador, Rafael Nadal, appears primed for more history. Nadal will go for a record 10^th title at Roland Garros, the season’s second Grand Slam, which starts Sunday.

He’s approaching unprecedented tennis history: No man or woman has won a Grand Slam title 10 times in the Open Era, since April 1968. But Nadal, who won Roland Garros crowns in 2005-08 and ’10-14, has already entered double digits at two tournaments this year.

The Spaniard captured his 10^th title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell. Two weeks ago, he also won his fifth Mutua Madrid Open crown. Nadal is feeling positive as he prepares in Paris this week.

“I feel at home because I have a great relationship with all the girls that are working here, with a lot of people that are running the event. It’s always good to see people that I have spent a lot of days in my life with,” said Nadal, who is making his 13^th consecutive appearance at the tournament. “I just say thanks to them for everything that they do for me, and I feel great every time that I have the chance to be back here and to see all of them.”

The 30 year old Nadal boasts a remarkable 72-2 record at Roland Garros. Only three times since 2005 has he not reached the title match, including last season when a left wrist injury forced him to withdraw prior to his third-round match against countryman Marcel Granollers.*

Nadal Through The Years At Roland Garros

But the draw certainly didn’t treat him like a nine-time champion. Nadal opens against Frenchman Benoit Paire, No. 45 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The 28 year old beat World No. 3 and 2015 Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka in the third round of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters earlier this month.

Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 2-0 and both meetings came on clay – 2013 Madrid, 2013 Barcelona.

“He’s not an opponent you want to play against in the first round. He’s a player with big talent – great serve, great hands and a fantastic backhand. He’s a dangerous opponent,” Nadal said.

A year ago, the Spaniard also arrived at Roland Garros feeling positive. The left-hander had won his ninth title in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona and was again one of the top contenders to take the Roland Garros crown. But the nagging injury cut short his stay in Paris. “I hope that the story doesn’t repeat itself,” Nadal said, smiling.

This season, though, the Spaniard has more than returned to his best level. With the addition of former World No. 1 Carlos Moya to his team, Nadal has reached three hard-court finals and won three clay-court titles already this year.

On the red dirt, the left-hander is 17-1, with his only loss coming to Dominic Thiem in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia quarter-finals last week in Rome. Nadal beat Thiem in straight sets to win the Barcelona and Madrid titles.

“Since the beginning of the season I am happy with the way that I have played. I think I played well in almost every event… played well on hard. Then played great on clay,” Nadal said. “Here we are, another year, just trying to have the right days of practice before the competition starts. I know I need to be ready in the beginning because I have a tough opponent in the first round. So I am focused.”

Nadal could meet Thiem in the semi-finals. “I am very happy the way that I arrived here. Now I have to play well here. That’s all,” Nadal said.

Nadal On Clay In 2017