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Tennis, ATP – Roland-Garros 2024: Dimitrov knocks out Hurkacz

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Tennis, ATP – Roland-Garros 2024: Dimitrov knocks out Hurkacz

Grigor Dimitrov improved to 6-0 all time against Hubert Hurkacz with a 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory in the Roland-Garros fourth round on Sunday evening. Dimitrov needed two hours and 51 minutes to set up a quarter-final clash with either No 2 seed Jannik Sinner or France’s last hope, Corentin Moutet.

In addition to his perfect head-to-head record against Hurkacz, even more amazing is that Dimitrov is now 7-0 at the Pole’s expense in tiebreaks.

Tiebreaks once again proved to be a significant part of the story on Sunday. Normally a great tiebreak player against other opponents, Hurkacz again came up short in the most important moments with Dimitrov on the other side of the net. The eighth-ranked Pole lost the first one seven points to five and dropped the next one — which ended the match — in even more routine fashion.

“It’s very hard to play against such a good friend,” Dimitrov said during his on-court interview. “Hubi…I’ve known him for quite a few years. We practice a lot; we have shared quite a few moments together. I knew it was going to be a difficult match and that I would have to fight a lot.”

BREAKTHROUGH AT ROLAND-GARROS FOR DIMITROV

The Bulgarian is through to the quarter-finals in Paris for the first time in his career. He has reached the semi-finals at each of the other three Grand Slams.

“I always wanted to get to that second week at the Fench Open,” Dimitrov commented. ‘That was the only slam that I felt like I could never get that extra step. But today, 15 years laters, I made it. So I’m very happy with that.”

Earlier in the tournament the 33-year-old defeated American Aleksandar Kovacevic (6-4, 6-3, 6-4), Hungarian Fabian Marozsan (6-0, 6-3, 6-4) and Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs (6-3, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4).

Hurkacz advanced with wins over Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki (4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3), American Brandon Nakashima (6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (5)) and Canadian Denis Shapovalov (6-3, 7-6, 4-6, 6-1).

Paris (Grand Slam), other last 16 results:

  • Alexander Zverev vs. Holger Rune
  • Taylor Fritz vs. Casper Ruud
  • Novak Djokovic vs. Francisco Cerundolo
  • Alex De Minaur vs. Daniil Medvedev
  • Corentin Moutet vs. Jannik Sinner: sunday
  • Carlos Alcaraz (3) beat Felix Auger-Aliassime (21): 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
  • Stefanos Tsitsipas (9) beat Matteo Arnaldi: 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-2

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