ATP Fantasy
Thiem’s Tips: Domi dishes on Jodar’s rise, why he wants Tsitsipas in ATP Fantasy
Former World No. 3 offers his strategy as fans take charge in new fantasy tennis game
May 03, 2026
ATP Tour
Dominic Thiem outlines his ATP Fantasy picks and strategy ahead of the 2026 Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
By ATP Staff
As the 2026 ATP Fantasy season heats up, Dominic Thiem is ready to try something new for Internazionali BNL D’Italia, the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome.
The Austrian has been following the ATP Tour’s #NextGenATP stars, and one young player in particular has stood out. The former World No. 3 has been impressed by Rafael Jodar’s meteoric rise and is considering adding the Spaniard to his roster for the Rome tournament, which runs from 6-17 May.
“The young players are very exciting,” Thiem said. “Right now, I would go with Jodar because he was super consistent. He won the ATP 250 in Marrakech. Then he played the semi-finals in Barcelona and the quarter-finals in Madrid. So I think there might be some great results coming up from him in the remaining clay swing. So I would go for him.”
But another key factor for Thiem is the change in venue from the Caja Magica in Madrid to the Foro Italico. As the Masters 1000 event in Rome is held at a lower altitude than in Madrid, the court tends to be slower. The Austrian shared that if someone played well in Madrid, it does not mean they will also taste similar success in Rome.
“The transition from Madrid to Rome is really, really difficult,” Thiem said. “Madrid is high altitude, super fast court, and Rome is a bit slower, not high altitude anymore, so it is quite different. That’s why I think if somebody is playing super well in Madrid, that doesn’t mean that they will also continue playing super well in Rome.”
Even so, the Austrian will retain Madrid finalists Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev in his lineup for the tournament. Thiem was rewarded in Madrid because both players made the final in the Spanish capital.
“Final in Madrid, Jannik against Sascha, points-wise, [that was a] very good week for me,” Thiem said.
Another player making the cut for Thiem is his former rival, Stefanos Tsitsipas, who reached the Rome championship match in 2022 and most recently the fourth round in Madrid.
“I will also keep Tsitsipas because it seems like he is playing better again,” Thiem shared. “Right now, Tsitsipas is very cheap in the budget. The rest, I will have a look at, but I hope that I can put one young guy, for example, Jodar, in my team.”
