By Julien Pretot PARIS, May 26 (Reuters) Dominic Thiem , the only player to beat claycourt giant Rafa Nadal on the red dirt this season, is one of the dark horses at the French Open - and the Austrian feels he deserves the tag.
The 23-year-old sixth seed at Roland Garros beat the Spaniard - who has won a record nine titles in Paris - in straight sets in the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters shortly after losing a tight final to him in Madrid and another final to him in Barcelona.