Croatian Borna Coric is one of the many “ATP Next Gen” youngsters projected to be in the Top 10 once the Fab Four finally retire. Except the 20-year-old Coric doesn’t want to wait another decade.

He’s still trying to rebound from a knee surgery last fall, a Davis Cup final fallout and a coaching change. This week, the world No. 62-ranked Coric looks tougher, even sporting a touch of facial hair.

He ripped through world No. 8 Dominic Thiem on his way to the third round of the Miami Open.

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A teenage Coric was ranked as high as No. 33 in 2015, and carries a competitive presence, a mean two-handed backhand and impeccable footwork when he holds the baseline.

Even the weather couldn’t dampen his determination to storm back for the finishing touches on Thiem late in the second set after sitting in the locker room for four hours.

Meanwhile, Thiem could only shake his fist at the tennis gods who brought on the rain. He failed to convert three set points to level the match and responded like a Benoit Paire protétgé, testing to see if his racket could hold up to the strain.

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Thiem was clearly bent out of shape, but the Austrian will be busy packing his equipment bag for the next flight to his beloved clay-court season in Europe.

Coric is trying to gain momentum after struggling to win consecutive matches so far this season. He's got a good shot of pushing his streak to three, when he takes on Adrian Mannarino on Monday.