Dream Thiem

Thiem would lose the arm wrestling contest 6-0, 6-0

Last week in Rotterdam, the tennis world was introduced to qualifier Dominic Thiem, 20 year-old Austrian and new member of the ATP Top 100. He pushed Andy Murray to three sets in a losing effort and impressed everyone with his shotmaking ability off of both wings. After just one match of seeing him play, you can consider me an expert on Thiem's potential as a tennis star. Here are three basic things you need to know about this addition to our Next Generation roster of talent.

First and foremost, he hits the ball hard. For someone who isn't physically imposing, he really goes for his shots. He can clock the forehand and will pull the trigger early (to his detriment, at times) on the down-the-line backhand. Watching him run Andy from side to side was entertaining.

Second, and already most exhausting, he has a one-handed backhand. Wielding a one-hander is almost a guarantee that experts will talk about you and how beautiful (elegant, free-flowing, gorgeous, awe-striking, etc.) that one singular groundstroke is. Every one-hander is different, but I would compare the way it zips through the court to that of Richard Gasquet's. However, unlike Reesh, Thiem isn't content to sit back and do all the heavy lifting from that wing.

Lastly, he's a fighter. After getting down an early break in the final set, he did well to stay in touch with Andy until the end, making Andy serve his way out of the match.

It's always fun seeing an up-and-comer rise up and test a big name. Thiem's game seems perfectly suited for clay, so it should be a player to keep an eye on when April rolls around. I daresay he has a better chance to pull off a big upset then!

What do you think of the baby-faced Thiem's upside? Leave a comment!