Thiem, regarded as one of the most popular players on the tour, was blessed with a picture-book backhand, but also a devastating forehand, which he says often did more damage.

Thiem’s next opportunity came at 7-6; he double-faulted. “I was, like, so tight in my whole body,” Thiem said. The third was at 9-8, when he pushed a down-the-line forehand wide.

They’d been erased by a fine Djokovic serve, a Thiem double-fault, an errant Thiem forehand and then, one of the best shots of the day, a Djokovic inside-in forehand winner laced so hard and ...

PARIS (AP) — It all used to come so easily for Dominic Thiem on a tennis court — his powerful forehand, his elegant backhand, his hit-which-shot-when calculations, all fine-tuned to the point ...

Thiem’s next opportunity to win came at 7-6, but he double-faulted. “I was, like, so tight in my whole body,” Thiem said. The third was at 9-8, when he pushed a down-the-line forehand wide.

Dominic Thiem plays a forehand return to Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka during their men’s singles match on day one of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament in Octomber.

PARIS — It all used to come so easily for Dominic Thiem on a tennis court — his powerful forehand, his elegant backhand, his hit-which-shot-when calculations, all fine-tuned to the point of a ...

PARIS — It all used to come so easily for Dominic Thiem on a tennis court — his powerful forehand, his elegant backhand, his hit-which-shot-when calculations, all fine-tuned to the point of a ...