Dominic Thiem recalls Indian Wells 2019 final against Roger Federer, says he was "impossible" to beat 

Although Dominic Thiem beat Roger Federer in the title clash at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open to claim his first Masters 1000 victory, he recently acknowledged how difficult the task was, given the fine form Federer was in.

The Austrian entered the tournament on the back of a dismal win-loss record of 3-4 in the 2019 season and did not expect himself to go deep. However, he did not lose a set until the semifinals, defeating the likes of Jordan Thompson, Gilles Simon, and Ivo Karlovic in his first three clashes. The seventh-seed, who faced a second-round exit at the 2019 Australian Open, received a walkover in the quarterfinals as Gael Monfils withdrew before the match.

He then won a tough battle in the semifinals against Milos Raonic to set up a title clash against 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer. The fourth-seeded Swiss icon took the first set 6-3 before Thiem changed gears to win the match 3-6, 6-3 7-5. Recalling the title clash recently, the 29-year-old stated that Federer was playing at his best and was "toying" with him at will.

“The first set there was exactly why Roger is so popular and why people love to watch Roger so much. He was toying with me,” Thiem said. “He was playing at his best level. He was doing whatever he wanted and when he is at this level, it is impossible to play him."

Dominic Thiem further added that he was happy to witness Federer playing at an extremely high level in the first set, calling it an "unbelievable" experience.

"I was just hoping he would have one weak game in the second set and he had it and I broke and then the match was kind of opening. I am also happy I witnessed this first set, it was an unbelievable experience to play against someone playing such good tennis," he added.

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Dominic Thiem to take on Adrian Mannarino in Indian Wells 2023 first round

Dominic Thiem (L) and Adrian Mannarino

Last month, Dominic Thiem took to social media to reveal that he had received a wildcard entry into the main draw of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open.

He will begin his campaign against World No. 68 Adrian Mannarino of France in the first round tonight on Court 2 of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. This will be the 10th tour-level meeting between the two players, with Thiem leading 8-1 in the head-to-head.

The 102nd-ranked Austrian star is once again off to a forgettable start in 2023, winning just one match while losing six so far. He lost in the first round of the Australian Open against Andrey Rublev.