RICKY DIMON LOOKS AT U.S. OPEN SEED REPORT: DIMITROV JUST ABOUT LOCKS ONE UP WITH WIN OVER WAWRINKA

Written by: Staff on 18th August 2016

Western and Southern Open tennis tournament

RICKY DIMON LOOKS AT U.S. OPEN SEED REPORT: DIMITROV JUST ABOUT LOCKS ONE UP WITH WIN OVER WAWRINKA

epa05496237 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in action against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland during their 3rd round match at the Western & Southern Open Tennis Championships at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 18 August 2016. EPA/TANNEN MAURY |

Grigor Dimitrov earned a spot in a second consecutive Masters 1000 quarterfinal when he upset Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4 during third-round action at the Western & Southern Open on Thursday afternoon. Dimitrov held all 10 of his service games and saved the only break point he faced to advance in one hour and 22 minutes.

By virtue of that victory, the world No. 34 has just about locked up a seed for the upcoming U.S. Open. He is projected to reach 32nd in the rankings next week, which is when seeding is done for the season’s final Grand Slam. Even if Dimitrov loses his quarterfinal match on Friday, he would have to be passed by both Borna Coric and Yuichi Sugita to get knocked out of the seeded range. For that to happen, Sugita would have to win the Cincinnati title and he would have to beat Coric in the final. But the next outing is still huge for Dimitrov, because if he goes all the way to the semifinals he will secure a top 24 seed in NYC.

With Roger Federer already out of the U.S. Open, Dimitrov is provisionally No. 31 at the moment as opposed to No. 32.

Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria (R) embraces second seed Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland after defeating him in their third round match in the Western & Southern Open tennis championships at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 18 August 2016. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

The Bulgarian, who made a run to the last eight in Toronto earlier this month, also improved to 4-2 lifetime at Wawrinka’s expense. Dimitrov has won four in a row against Wawrinka since the Swiss last prevailed at the Madrid Masters in 2013. The 25-year-old is also 8-1 in his last nine total sets against Wawrinka.

Given that Sugita winning the title and Coric reaching the final are unlikely developments at best, there is not much more U.S. Open seeding drama to be had in Cincinnati. Benoit Paire will need at least one more withdrawal (possibly from Philipp Kohlschreiber) after the Frenchman lost his opener this week to Coric. Viktor Troicki, who fell in the first round to Marin Cilic, needs at least two more withdrawals.

Rafael Nadal and Milos Raonic are in a battle for the No. 4 seed in New York that would have otherwise gone to Federer. Nadal leads Raonic by 315 points, so the Canadian may have to lift the winner’s trophy in Cincinnati in order to make the all-important pass in the rankings.

Dominic Thiem got a free ride into the Cincinnati quarterfinals from Gael Monfils and therefore still owns the inside track on the No. 8 seed at Flushing Meadows. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has a realistic chance of overtaking Thiem, while Marin Cilic would have to capture the title if he has hopes of doing the same.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return shot to Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay during their second round match of the Western & Southern Open tennis championships at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 17 August 2016. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

Topics: 10sballs.com, Atp World Tour, Cincinnati, Cincy Tennis, Dominic Thiem, Gael Monfils, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Marin Cilic, milos raonic, Rafa Nadal, Ricky Dimon, Sports, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis News, Western & Southern Open