Dominic Thiem has described his two French Open finals against Rafael Nadal as deeply unsettling, saying he recognised he would not win those matches. The Austrian, who retired at the ATP 500 event in Austria in 2024 after more than three years of wrist pain, reached a career-high ranking of world No 3 and won his sole Grand Slam title at the 2020 US Open, beating Alexander Zverev.

Thiem recalled how confronting Nadal at Roland Garros created a weighty atmosphere. “If you are an opponent against Rafa in the French Open final, like the tournament doesn’t make it easy,” he said. “You go on the centre court, you do the warm-up before the match, and then the speaker is introducing you. He says, yeah, like 9 ATP titles, and the crowd is applauding.

“And then he starts to introduce Rafa. Winner of the French Open 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008… and the crowd is going crazy.

“Then starts 10, 11, 12, 13. And you’ve already lost the match. It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever experienced.”

Thiem first reached the French Open final in 2018 after surrendering only three sets en route, having beaten second seed Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals and Nadal in straight sets at the Madrid Open four weeks before. He admitted the final was affected by his condition on the day. “First of all, I was happy to be in the final, then I was physically not 100% anymore,” added Thiem. He lost that match 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

A year later he returned to the final following a Barcelona victory over Nadal and a five-set semi-final against Novak Djokovic. “I really was convinced that I was able to win the finals, to win the French Open,” admitted Thiem. “I didn’t see myself as an underdog, I saw it as a 50-50 match, and I played really well. But it was so impressive how he was raising his level; it was just unbelievable. Kudos to him.” Nadal prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1.

Thiem also reflected on spotting Carlos Alcaraz’s talent as a teenager. “I was practising with Carlos when he was 15 or 16 in Rio De Janeiro, and he was very skinny back then, but the practice was so intense,” he said. “I was talking to my coach after, and we were saying this guy is going to be amazing, 100%.

“Maybe yes, maybe no. Luckily, he became one, but it’s very different.

“Sometimes you can see it and it’s so obvious, like I think with Rafa and with Carlos. And then there are players who are developing a bit later, where you cannot see it.”

Novak Djokovic has framed his approach to the 2025 US Open semi-final with a mixture of realism and confidence. The Serb arrives at the last four of the year’s final Grand Slam determined to upset expectations and to prove he can still beat the game’s top young players.

Djokovic is set to face Carlos Alcaraz for a place in the final. He has reached the semi-finals at all of this season’s Grand Slams but has not converted those runs into titles at that level, and he has not won an event above ATP 250 in 2025. Still, he insisted his level remains capable of matching the best.

“When I’m in shape and capable of playing my best tennis, I still believe I can beat both Alcaraz and Sinner,” stated the former world No 1, during an interview with SportKlub . “The most dangerous part is that I need to make a great effort, work very hard, and push my body to its limits to have the chance to face them.

“It’s a bit of an unfair battle because their youth and current superiority allow them to arrive in full condition, while I already have half an empty tank.

“That’s biology.”

The season has paid out a mixed ledger. Djokovic has struggled repeatedly against Jannik Sinner, losing his five most recent matches to the Italian and taking just two sets in those meetings. At Wimbledon he was beaten 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, and four weeks earlier he fell 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3) at the French Open. Against Alcaraz he has had more recent success, including a four-set quarter-final victory at this season’s Australian Open, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. His hard-court record versus Alcaraz stands favourably in the head-to-head.

“One could say that it benefits me to play against Carlos in the semi-finals rather than against Jannik, at least, that’s what the latest results suggest,” he added. “In any case, in Australia and London, I arrived injured at the semi-final match and not now. Each match is a different story.

“I know Alcaraz is the favourite, playing at an impressive level, but I hope to raise my game. These matches are what keep me competing.

“It’s exciting to have the opportunity to beat the best currently.”

After beating Taylor Fritz in four sets in the quarter-finals, Djokovic was equally candid about the tournament picture: “We don’t need to spend words about two of them,” he commented, during his post-match press conference. “You know, we know that they’re two best players in the world. Everybody’s probably expecting and anticipating the finals between two of them. “I’m going to try to, you know, mess up the plans of most of the people and let’s see, you know, Sinner still has to win a couple of matches to get to the finals, but they are playing definitely the best tennis of any player here.

“They’ve been the dominant force since the beginning of the tournament, but, you know, I definitely am not going with the white flag on the court.

“I don’t think anybody does, really, when they play them, but particularly not me.

“I put myself in another semi-final of a Grand Slam this year.

“I’ve been very consistent, mostly consistent on the Slams this season, and that’s what I said at the beginning of the year, where I would like to perform my best tennis and make the best results.”

Novak Djokovic has long favoured a different approach during the US Open week. Rather than relying on tournament transport from Manhattan to Flushing Meadows, he typically decamps to a friend’s estate in Alpine, New Jersey, prioritising privacy and routine over convenience.

The property, owned by Gordon Uehling, occupies roughly 40 acres and has been valued at around $40 million. It features hard, clay and grass courts, including one reported to have state-of-the-art technology capable of analysing a player’s performance. The extra travel time from Alpine to the tournament is a trade-off Djokovic accepts for greater solitude at a critical point in the season.

“I combine the city with New Jersey,” said Djokovic as he spoke about his living arrangements for the US Open.

“There’s so much to do and so much to see. Obviously, you have to balance it well with your commitments here on-site, training and preparing and recovering.

“Normally, before the tournament starts, I’m in the city. Then once the tournament starts, we go into full lockdown mode.

“My friend has a beautiful estate there with tennis courts.

“Just me and my family, we stay there. We have a relaxing time. It’s great in the off days between the matches, you just kind of recharge, rejuvenate, and you’re able to come out and have more energy.”

When discussing why he moves between locations in America, Djokovic added: “I just feel like the city is amazing, but after a while, it starts being a distraction,” he stated. “When the tournament starts, what you need is the tranquillity, just taking things day by day.”

Uehling is a former ATP-ranked player in both singles and doubles with a long involvement in the sport. While on tour he trained with players such as Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Todd Martin, and he later worked with Vince Spadea, Dmitry Tursunov and Luis Flores.

“Competing around the world for about seven years and playing in around 30 different countries allowed me to study the game and learn from some of the game’s great minds,” Uehling said in an interview with New York Tennis magazine.

For Djokovic, the Alpine hideaway provides a controlled environment in which to prepare and recover. If he secures another title at Flushing Meadows, any celebration at Uehling’s estate will carry added significance.