Our best tennis player Grigor Dimitrov started his participation in this year's edition of “Wimbledon” with a convincing victory, sportal.bg reported.
The 34-year-old from Haskovo, ranked No. 19 in the schedule, easily swept the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka, without losing a set.
First set
Grisho started with a double fault, but then found his rhythm and quickly won the first game - 1:0. With three good returns and several successful backhands, the Bulgarian scored a deuce in the next game, and then went through two draws. A great forehand on the reverse diagonal gave Grigor his first break point, and he took advantage of it with a nice combination of a quality return and a backhand on a short diagonal - 2:0. With four direct service points, the Bulgarian consolidated his advantage and won half of the first set in 12 minutes.
Grisho hit his seventh ace for 30-15 in the fifth game, after Nishioka had finally won his serve, although in it the Bulgarian had a good chance to attack a breakthrough. The Bulgarian increased his direct service points to nine to continue his trend of controlling the set without wasting energy - 4:1.
Nishioka reduced his gap to 4:2, but then Grisho hit two aces and added two more unreturned serves for 5:2. The first set point for Dimitrov came on the opponent's opening shot, after our tennis player won a backhand exchange. It was lost, but another one quickly came, thanks to a mistake from Nishioka's forehand. The Japanese managed again, but a quality return from Grisho provided him with a third set point, which he already took advantage of - 6:2 in 31 minutes of play.
Second set
Grisho started the second set with the same wonderful pace of thunderous serves and quickly won points for 2:1. In the fourth game, the Bulgarian "got hooked" on the reception, provoking two deuces, but could not gain an advantage in the result.
In the eighth game, Grigor had a chance to break with a nice short ball to end the longest and most beautiful rally of the match. The two tennis players greeted each other at the net after him, and the break became a fact with a magical backhand return by the Bulgarian along the net - 5:3.
Dimitrov in an uncompromising manner with three quick points closed the second set - 6:2, 6:3 in a total of 61 minutes of play.
Third set
For the first time in the match, Grisho fell behind 15-30 on his own serve, but then hit an unreturned serve and with a smash to the net got out of trouble - 1:1. The Bulgarian showed slight hesitations compared to the previous penalty actions from serve, but again at 30-30 he scored an ace and added a serve-forhand for 2:2.
Nishioka had significantly improved the level of his return, but also his forehand, making less inaccuracies compared to the previous two sets. It was no coincidence that for the first time in the match he won four games in one set for 3:4, although Grisho then took the game to zero with quick points - 4:4.
Dimitrov benefited from a double fault for 0-15, and then placed a fantastic intercepted return and reached 0-30. A magnificently organized attack by the Bulgarian ended with a merciless smash for 0-40. Grisho, with another fantastic action from the bottom of the court to the net, secured a breakthrough for 5:4 and the right to serve for the victory.
Grisho made a double fault for 30-30, but then placed an unreturned serve and reached match point. It was also materialized with an unreturned initial shot and the Bulgarian finally won a match from the "Grand Slam" this year - 6:2, 6:3, 6:4.