Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov delivered a spectacular performance by defeating sixth seed Andrey Rublev to secure a spot in the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. The match, held on Sunday, was a thrilling five-set battle that kept the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd on the edge of their seats.
Dimitrov showcased his skill and resilience, winning 80% of his first-serve points and firing an impressive 17 aces. Despite Rublev's fierce competitiveness, which led him to slam his racket in frustration and sustain a cut wrist requiring medical attention, Dimitrov maintained his composure and capitalized on crucial moments.
The turning point came in the fifth set, where Dimitrov's strategic play and mental toughness shone through, allowing him to outlast Rublev. The New York crowd, including tennis legend Serena Williams enjoying a honey deuce cocktail, erupted in cheers as Dimitrov clinched the final set with a 6-3 victory.
Reflecting on his win, Dimitrov said, \"The steal of the second set really helped me to keep on believing and to keep on trusting in my game and in my body. After the first couple of sets he started playing amazing. I mean, there's not much else I could have done, so I had to pull the reins back a little bit and wait for an opportunity. It happened in the fifth. I think that was the big difference today. After that I ran with the match, but it was very challenging.\"
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Dimitrov outlasts Rublev to punch U.S. Open quarterfinals ticket
cgtn.com
