Twelve months ago, Grigor Dimitrov faced a devastating setback when he tore his pectoral muscle while nearing victory against Jannik Sinner. The Bulgarian was visibly upset as he realized not only had he been outplaying the now world No. 1, but he was also delivering some of the finest tennis of his career. Confined to Centre Court, he was uncertain about his recovery timeline and whether he could regain his previous form. With Sinner ultimately winning the title, it’s easy to imagine the turmoil in Dimitrov’s mind.
On Saturday, Dimitrov secured a hard-fought victory against Matteo Berrettini, who has struggled with injuries since his 2021 Wimbledon final appearance. The match concluded with scores of 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, allowing Dimitrov to advance to the last 16, offering him a chance for redemption and more. Next, he will play against Arthur Fery, the British wildcard who triumphed over Zizou Bergs in a tense deciding-set tie-break.
“Honestly it’s amazing to be back here,” exclaimed a delighted Dimitrov, who leapt over the net to greet Berrettini after the match. “I’m just so happy, so happy. Honestly I just wanted to come and compete again in front of you guys. There’s something special in the air. “He played amazing in the third and fourth [sets]. I had chances but he started serving so well. I had to reframe my mind just to stay positive and say I’d get a chance. I didn’t know when but in the end I served really well the last three games. “After last year I would never know what would have happened. But guess what, I am back here and I’m aiming to rewrite everything again. Let’s keep the good times going.”
“I need to remind myself more frequently that best-of-five is a completely different beast, right?”
“I normally get a little bit frustrated if the opponent plays a good set, but what I really should be thinking is that they need to do that for three sets in a row. That’s not the easiest task to accomplish.”
This encounter was playfully dubbed “the pretty match” by Dimitrov, a light-hearted reference to both players’ looks and their appealing styles of play. Throughout the match, they utilized more backhand slices than any other competitors, effectively keeping the ball low and disrupting each other’s rhythm.
Dimitrov established an early break in the first set, maintaining a lead he never seemed likely to relinquish. Although the second set was more closely contested, he broke Berrettini again in the ninth game and served out to double his advantage. At that point, the key difference lay in their second serve; Dimitrov won 74% of points on his second serve, while Berrettini struggled at just 20%. Additionally, Dimitrov’s superior net play proved advantageous.
Just when it appeared Dimitrov would have a straightforward night, Berrettini rallied to break for a 4-2 lead in the third set, reducing the deficit. The closure of the roof, much to Dimitrov’s frustration, allowed Berrettini to take a 3-1 lead in the fourth set. Although Dimitrov managed to break back, Berrettini quickly regained the advantage, leveling the match at one set each.
With momentum shifting in Berrettini’s favor, Dimitrov regrouped and broke for a 2-1 lead in the final set, maintaining that edge throughout. He clinched victory on his second match point when Berrettini sent a forehand long.
In other matches, fifth seed Alex de Minaur defeated American Zach Svajda 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, advancing to the fourth round for the fourth time in five years. After overcoming the loss of the second set, the Australian is set to face Flavio Cobolli, the runner-up at last month’s French Open.
“I need to remind myself more frequently that best-of-five is a completely different beast, right?” De Minaur reflected. “I normally get a little bit frustrated if the opponent plays a good set, but what I really should be thinking is that they need to do that for three sets in a row. That’s not the easiest task to accomplish.”
French Open champion Alexander Zverev matched his best-ever run at Wimbledon, making it to the fourth round with a 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-4 win over Marcos Giron. Meanwhile, sixth seed Taylor Fritz overcame Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (5), and Alexander Bublik prevailed in a five-set thriller against Frances Tiafoe, the No. 10 seed, winning 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (11), 4-6, 6-3.
