Grigor Dimitrov will take on world No.2 Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals of the French Open after defusing Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz on Monday morning (AEST).
The Bulgarian powered to a 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (3) to reach the quarterfinals at the Roland Garros for the first time at the age of 33. Dimitrov has now reached the final eight in the last four Grand Slam tournaments.
However, there was an unusual exchange between Dimitrov and Hurkacz late in the game, when the Pole proposed changing chair umpires in the middle of the match.
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While Dimitrov was serving at 4-5 in the third set, Hurkacz was left outraged by a call made by chair umpire Alison Hughes.
The innocuous line call was inspected by Hughes at Dimitrov’s request and was deemed out. Hurkacz, looking at a completely different mark, was outraged by the decision and requested that Hughes “call the supervisor.”
Despite moving on with the game, Hurkacz discussed the incident with Dimitrov at changeover, proposing to request a new umpire.
“G? You wanna make a change? Or you wanna continue with the lady here?” Hurzkacz asked.
Grigor Dimitrov speaks to Hubert Hurkacz during change over. Getty
Dimitrov: “Wanna continue with what?”
“I mean if you wanna continue with the lady here or you’re fine or you wanna change. That’s what I’m saying, up to you,” the Pole replied.
“Honestly it’s whatever you wanna do. Up to you,” Dimitrov said.
Hughes stayed on as Hurkacz was swept up by Dimitrov.
Dimitrov bloodied his racquet-holding hand and right elbow by diving for a shot early in the match. He was covered in French Open clay – his arm, his leg, his back.
He didn’t get a whole lot of sleep the night before, as his third-round win against Zizou Bergs – that was originally scheduled to be done Saturday morning (AEST) – was delayed due to the rain.
“I just tried to prepare more mentally than anything else,” Dimitrov said about getting ready to meet Hurkacz on shorter-than-usual rest at a major.
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Hubert Hurkacz reacts after losing the first set tie-break against Grigor Dimitrov. Corbis via Getty Images
“Better late than never,” said Dimitrov, who was wearing bandages on the side of his hand and arm after getting treatment.
“I was just telling myself: I’m going to get to every single ball that is there,” he said.
“I’m like: No ball is passing me.”
Dimitrov entered the day 0-2 in fourth-rounders in Paris but made it to the final eight in his 14th appearance, giving him a full set of quarterfinals from the four Grand Slam tournaments.
The Bulgarian, who will play No.2 Jannik Sinner next, got to the semifinals once apiece at the US Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon.
“The French Open was the only Slam I felt like I could never make that extra step,” Dimitrov said.
“Today, 15 years later, I made it, so I’m really happy with that.”
Sinner moved on despite a terrible-as-can-be start, getting broken in each of his first three service games and trailing 5-0 after 22 minutes against unseeded Frenchman Courentin Moutet in front of a boisterous crowd at Court Philippe Chatrier on Monday morning (AEST).
But Sinner, the reigning Australian Open champion, eventually got going and claimed the match win.
“Let’s say there are lessons today I can learn from,” said Sinner, who came into the tournament with questions about a hip injury that forced him to pull out of the Italian Open last month.
“I’m happy with how I responded. I was in trouble, but then I raised my level.”
The other men’s quarterfinal on the bottom half of the bracket will be No.3 Carlos Alcaraz vs. No.9 Stefanos Tsitsipas. Alcaraz, a two-time major champion, defeated No.21 Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Tsitsipas, a two-time Grand Slam runner-up, came back to eliminate unseeded Matteo Arnaldi 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-2.
This has been a resurgent season for Dimitrov, who won the Brisbane International in January for his first ATP title since 2017, reached the final at the Miami Open in March before losing to Sinner, and returned to the top 10 in the rankings for the first time since 2018.
He wants more.
“My quest and my goal is to be able to win a Slam. I mean, if I think about it, in a way, this is the only thing that is missing in my resume,” Dimitrov said in an interview before the French Open.
Grigor Dimitrov plays a forehand against Hubert Hurkacz. Getty
“But this is totally and entirely my own path. My own goal. My own quest.”
Dimitrov also is aware, as he put it when talking about his career, “I’m way closer to the end than the beginning.”
He improved to 6-0 against Hurkacz, a friend and frequent practice partner, by withstanding the big server’s 20 aces and making far fewer unforced errors, 43 vs. 28.
“He definitely competed really well,” said Hurkacz, who beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2021 in what turned out to be the 20-time Slam champion’s final match before retirement and defeated Rafael Nadal at the Italian Open last month.
“He came (up) with some good shots in the important moments.”