ROME — Perfect on his beloved clay through three tournaments this year, Rafael Nadal ended his warm-ups for the French Open with a defeat, falling, 6-4, 6-3, to Dominic Thiem on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open.
Nadal swept through Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid, amassing a 17-match win streak through the third round in Rome. He has not won a Grand Slam title since the 2014 French Open, but his stellar play this year, especially on clay, has cemented his familiar status as the clear front-runner at Roland Garros, where he will be seeking a record 10th title.