RECENT EDGE: Djokovic leads overall win count 6-4, but Thiem has win four out of last five encounters between them. PHOTO: AFP
Against those overwhelming odds, few are giving Dominic Thiem much of a chance to wrench the title from his iron grip and clinch a maiden Grand Slam.
But the Austrian, remarkably, is the one with the recent edge. Djokovic is 6-4 in their career head-to-heads, but Thiem has won four of the last five.
Djokovic is the first to admit that the slick 26-year-old has successfully refined his game over the past 12 months to compete on all surfaces. And he acknowledges it is just a matter of time before Thiem wins a Slam.
"I don't think he's really anymore 'next generation'. He's been around for many years. Now already he's an established top-five, top-10 player," said Djokovic. "It's just a matter of one match here and there that can potentially give him a Grand Slam title, that he can actually get in the mix of top three in the world," he added.
Thiem, who has beaten four seeds to make the grade, including Rafael Nadal in the last eight, is no stranger to Grand Slam finals, making the last two at Roland Garros. But this is his best effort outside of the French Open.
He lauded Djokovic as the "king of Australia" and insisted his recent succusses against him counted for little at the Serb's favourite tournament.
"It's true, I won I think more of the last encounters than he did. But I think it doesn't count so much. It's absolutely his comfort zone here," he said. "He always plays his best tennis in Australia since many, many years. So I'm expecting that as well in the finals. All I can do is my best again, play great tennis again, and of course take a look at the last matches we had... try to repeat the good stuff that I did there."
Despite playing down his chances, Thiem has the weapons to trouble Djokovic.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ