Tennis-Dangerman Thiem moves closer to Nadal showdown

(recasts with quotes) By Pritha Sarkar PARIS, May 26 (Reuters) - Austrian dangerman Dominic Thiem enhanced his growing reputation by reaching the third round of the French Open for the first time on Thursday, but that landmark meant little to a man who has his eyes on bigger targets. The youngest player in the top 15, the 22-year-old has won more matches on clay this season than anyone else, and his 2016 victims on the surface include nine-times Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal and 17-times grand slam winner Roger Federer. Thiem could also be a potential banana skin for Nadal in Paris since the duo appear to be heading for a fourth-round collision. "I had some really good results this year, but still, somehow a very good result at a big tournament is missing," the Austrian said following his 7-5 6-4 7-6(3) win over Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. "Maybe when I make this one, then I can say I made the breakthrough." Before that happens, though, Thiem will have to overcome a familiar foe in Alexander Zverev, whom he beat to win the Nice title last weekend. "It's going to be our third match in just four weeks. Munich, Nice, and now here," said Thiem, who will be hoping to complete a hat-trick of wins over his 19-year-old German rival. "We are good friends. He's an excellent player, so it's going to be a real tough match on Saturday for me. For him, too, I hope." Thiem, who has won claycourt titles this season in Buenos Aires as well as Nice, can already take some comfort in having become the first Austrian man to reach the third round in Paris since Juergen Melzer in 2010. (Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by John Stonestreet)