TENNIS FROM CHINA – GRIGOR DIMITROV BEATS STEVIE JOHNSON IN BEIJING, AND RAFAEL NADAL IS PLAYING SOLID TENNIS

Written by: Staff on 5th October 2016

TENNIS FROM CHINA - GRIGOR DIMITROV BEATS STEVIE JOHNSON IN BEIJING, AND RAFAEL NADAL IS PLAYING SOLID TENNIS |

Seesaw Battle! @GrigorDimitrov threw over #Johnson, 7-5,6-7(9),6-4! #ChinaOpen – Photo by @ChinaOpen via Twitter.

By Ricky Dimon

Grigor Dimitrov vs. Steve Johnson has been one of the ATP Tour’s surprising rivalries over the past two seasons. Their showdown on Wednesday at the China Open marked their fifth meeting since the start of Wimbledon last summer, and it did not disappoint. Dimitrov squandered a set and a break advantage and missed out on four match-point chances in the second-set tiebreaker but managed to hold on for a 7-5, 6-7(9), 6-4 victory after two hours and 44 minutes.

The Bulgarian now leads the head-to-head series 3-2, having also prevailed at the Cincinnati Masters to avenge a Wimbledon third-round loss to Johnson earlier this summer.

Johnson flirted with disaster throughout the final set in Beijing, saving a total of six break points in three different service games en route to a 4-3 advantage. But the American failed to survive his next service game at 4-4, as Dimitrov broke to 30 to seize the upper hand. The world No. 20 dropped only five points in his last five service games and wrapped up the win with another routine hold.

Photo by @ChinaOpen via Twitter.

Dimitrov was joined in the winner’s circle on Wednesday by top seed Andy Murray, who took care of Andrey Kuznetsov 6-2, 6-1 in their second-round contest. Next up for Murray is an all-British quarterfinal affair with Kyle Edmund, who upset Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

“The day of the match, it’s always a little bit uncomfortable,” Murray said of facing Edmund. “Because normally when you see your friends and stuff in the locker room, you have a chat (and) joke around a bit. But on match days, it always tends to be a little bit more serious.

“Once you get out on the court and start competing, it’s fine. After the match, again, it’s always fine. But it’s just sort of the couple hours before when you see each other in the locker room, it can be a little bit uncomfortable.”

Rafael Nadal, meanwhile, probably hopes to see Lucas Pouille on the court again–and that could happen during Friday’s quarterfinals in Beijing. Nadal, who lost a five-setter to Pouille at the U.S. Open, would first have to get past Adrian Mannarino on Thursday. The fourth-ranked Spaniard is coming off a 6-1, 6-1 rout of Paolo Lorenzi, which improved his lifetime record at this tournament to 19-4. Mannarino, who has never played against Nadal, qualified for the main draw and beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Wednesday.

Yes, this is his court! @RafaelNadal #ChinaOpen #Doubles #TeamRafa #VamosRafa – Photo by @ChinaOpen via Twitter.

As for Pouille, he would have to defeat Dimitrov in order to get another crack at Nadal. Pouille and Dimitrov have not met in more than three years, as their only previous encounter has come at the 2013 French Open. The Frenchman lost 6-1, 7-6(4), 6-1, but he is obviously a much different player now. The 22-year-old is up to No. 16 in the rankings thanks mostly to a quarterfinal showings at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, a semifinal finish as a lucky loser in Rome, a runner-up performance in Bucharest, and his first career ATP title last month in Metz.

Dimitrov is also riding plenty of momentum right now after slumping through the spring. He advanced to the quarters in Toronto, the semis in Cincinnati, the fourth round of the U.S. Open, and the semifinals in Chengdu this past week.

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

Topics: 10sballs.com, Adrian Mannarino, Atp World Tour, Beijing, China Open, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Rafa Nadal, Ricky Dimon, sports news, Stevie Johnson, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

October 5, 2016 at 9:36 am

Tennis From #ChinaOpen – @GrigorDimitrov Beats @SJohnson_89 In Beijing, & @RafaelNadal Is Playing Solid #Tennis… https://t.co/pssULQhWlA