By Chris Oddo | Wednesday June 1, 2016

 

Dominic Thiem and David Goffin reached their first major quarterfinals on Wednesday and will bid for a spot in the Top 10 on Day 12.

Photo Source: Julian Finney/Getty

The future of the ATP Tour has stepped to the fore in the absence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at this year’s French Open, and the tennis has been quite sublime thank you very much.

More: Serene Djokovic Keeping Calm Under Pressure in Paris

First we had an entertaining clash of future titans between 19-year-old Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem in the third round. Now the intensity is ratcheting up as the draw is whittled down.

Next up, a real doozy…

On Wednesday in Paris, Thiem and David Goffin set up a high-stakes quarterfinal, and the winner is assured of a Top 10 debut.

Both Goffin and Thiem completed resumed matches on Day 11, as Thiem knocked off Marcel Granollers in four sets while Goffin nudged past Ernests Gulbis, also in four.

On Thursday the pair of risers will meet with the winner possibly rising as high as No. 7 in the world if Tomas Berdych can’t manage to upset Novak Djokovic.

“It's a real great thing,” said 22-year-old Thiem. “Like two years ago I was here with Ernests [Gulbis] and he played semifinals, and back then I couldn't really imagine that I'd go this far myself one day, and it's already here like two years later and it feels really good.”

Thiem has surpassed expectations in 2016, winning 40 matches, including 24 on clay, to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal. In that time he’s developed a reputation as polished baseliner that can bash the ball with jaw-dropping spin, but more important, he’s becoming known as a fierce competitor whose beastly game is tailor-made for the red clay.

Goffin is three years older than Thiem, and considered by many to have a bit of a lower ceiling based on his power threshold, but the Belgian has also surpassed expectations and is proving week in and week out that he’s one of the fittest and more gifted ball-strikers on tour.

“Total bliss,” Goffin said of reaching his first major quarterfinal. “And these three days were very tiring. It was tough. I'm very proud I managed to do this. It was not really an objective. I didn't say, ‘I'll have to focus on this objective.’ But I was trying to do my best to reach the quarterfinals.”

Goffin and Thiem have squared off in important battles before. The Belgian took down Thiem in four sets at this year’s Australian Open in the third round, and the pair have split clay-court finals in Kitzbuhel and Gstaad.

Goffin holds the 5-2 overall edge (4-2 at tour level), but Thiem has won two of the last three.

Thursday’s tilt promises to be every bit as entertaining as their previous contests, perhaps more, given the rapid development and maturity of both.

“He's found the skills and resources,” Goffin said of Thiem, a player that he practices with often and has befriended on tour. “He has everything it takes to play well on clay. And mentally, also, I have the impression he feels good. That's why he's really very strong on clay this year and probably in the years to come, as well.”

“He takes the balls really early,” Thiem said of the Belgian. “Doesn't give any time. He's really, really, really fast on his feet. In general, he developed since two years amazing.”

On Thursday tennis fans will get a glimpse of the future of Roland Garros as these two rising phenoms battle for a maiden major semifinal and a slot in the Top 10. Will we be witnessing the beginning of an epic Roland Garros rivalry? One can only hope.