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After losing to Rafael Nadal in two consecutive finals (Barcelona and Madrid), Dominic Thiem wasn't going to let the Spaniard beat him again. On Friday, the Austrian utilized perfect one-handed backhands to defeat Nadal in the quarterfinals of Rome, 6-4, 6-3.

Two hot shots came in the second set during long rallies when Thiem fired off two laser-like backhands to pass Nadal and get the crucial break. Thiem's win ended Nadal's clay win streak at 17.

After winning the Rio Open, and reaching the aforementioned finals, the world No. 7-ranked Thiem has been on a mission to climb even higher.

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The 23-year-old will contest his second career ATP Masters 1000 semifinal on Saturday.

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WATCH: Thiem dismantles Nadal with laser backhands

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