Roger Federer admitted he is impressed by Dominic Thiem's sudden rise in tennis, but the Swiss Maestro claimed he was not surprised of the good results coming from the Austrian youngster.
Thiem has impressed Federer thru the great results and remarkable performances the 22-year-old Austrian has displayed this season. Thiem, who broke into the top-10 of the ATP world rankings this year, has been a force this season, winning four ATP titles on a tour-leading 47 match wins.
But according to the Swiss Maestro, he is not surprised by the unexpected rise of Thiem in the tennis scene, citing the confidence the Austrian has shown in his matches this season.
"I think it's unbelievable to see how he is backing it up. He's definitely playing with confidence right now. I saw especially in Stuttgart, things were not good for him many, many times and he stayed calm," Federer told Wimbledon's official website.
"I'm very impressed by his progress even though I'm not surprised because he did come to Zurich last year and practised with me. So, for me it's more of a confirmation really."
Federer should know Thiem's ability very well after playing the world No. 8 on three occasions this season. Thiem lost to Federer in their first meeting at the Brisbane International semifinal round, but has conquered the Swiss in Rome and Stuttgart.
While Federer's loss to Thiem could be accounted for the injuries and setbacks the Swiss suffered this season, if this kind of trend continues, Charlotte Wilde of USA Today believes Thiem could be a "consistent problem" to the 17-time Grand Slam winner.
It would be interesting to see if Federer could channel his lethal form on his favorite surface, considering the injuries and setbacks he suffered in the past months. The Basel native has been rusty in his last two outings, but could finally be ready to compete for a record eighth Wimbledon title.
Meanwhile, Thiem rising to the occasion once again would be as monumental as Federer coming back to his vintage form. There is no denying Thiem's potential to become a tennis star, and there is no better place to showcase his talents than competing in a Grand Slam event.
Thiem reached the semifinal round of the French Open last month only to be crushed by world No. 1 Novak Djokovic straight sets. Despite the loss, there is high hopes for the Austrian teen to make another SF appearance in Church Road.
Federer could be the third seed at Wimbledon, while Thiem could be seeded at No. 7, with world No. 5 Rafael Nadal skipping the event. They could face each other in the final round if they are drawn at this order, but Djokovic's dominance and Andy Murray's unwavering effort to beat the Serb could be a major hindrance in Federer and Thiem's Wimbledon campaigns.