Can Grigor Dimitrov add a Grand Slam title challenge to his resurgent 2024?
The Bulgarian withstood a stirring comeback from Andrey Rublev to clinch victory in a pulsating fourth-round US Open clash on Sunday afternoon in New York. The ninth-seeded Dimitrov kept his cool for a 6-3, 7-6(3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3 triumph after three hours and 39 minutes inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Two of the cleanest baseline ballstrikers on the ATP Tour produced some scintillating rallies for an engrossed crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Although Dimitrov fired fewer winners than Rublev (41 to 47) and more unforced errors (67 to 59), his ability to raise his level under pressure proved crucial to his victory.
“I was playing fairly good, I think, for the first two sets,” said Dimitrov in his on-court interview. “But for some reason my body was starting to lose its rhthym a little bit and he was not going to just give up the match. You know how he is. I just had to stay patient and I think today the biggest thing that helped me was my experience and [the crowd].”
Big stage for a big milestone 🌟@GrigorDimitrov advances to his 8th Grand Slam quarter-final, defeating Rublev in five sets! @usopen | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/5Ff55OjsDL
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 1, 2024Examples of the former World No. 3’s resilience included when he reeled off six straight points from 1/3 in the second-set tie-break to move into a two-set lead, while he also crucially held serve from 15/40 when serving at 4-2 in the decider. Although Rublev had dialled in on serve across sets three and four, during which he sent down 11 of his 21 aces, it was the Bulgarian who found a way to a victory that levelled the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 4-4.
After notching his 450th tour-level win against Rublev, Dimitrov improved to 37-13 for the season. The 33-year-old, who lifted his first ATP Tour title since 2017 in Brisbane in January, has been a member of the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings since April, having previously not featured since 2018.
[ATP APP]Dimitrov, whose good friend Serena Williams was watching from the stands inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, will hope to continue his strong year by reaching the US Open semi-finals for the first time. The nine-time tour-level titlist, who reached his only previous quarter-final at Flushing Meadows in 2019, will take on home favourite Frances Tiafoe or Alexei Popyrin in the last eight.
“I’m going to enjoy tonight. I’m trying to enjoy every single moment and I’m celebrating every day that I get to be out here,” said Dimitrov. “I’m just focusing on myself. I’ve had very tough weeks, with my body and everything. So I just want to focus on my rehab and the good things that I did today, things that I can improve, just keep it as basic as possible, and I’m thrilled to be through to the second week.”
With a number of his closest rivals in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin having already exited the draw at Flushing Meadows, Dimitrov has significantly boosted his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes by reaching his 11th Grand Slam quarter-final. The Bulgarian has risen three spots to 10th in the Live Race as a result of his run so far. He could rise as high as eighth by reaching the semi-finals.
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