Playing against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, American Frances Tiafoe will be making his third consecutive appearance in Tuesday's quarterfinal round of the US Open.
This past weekend, Tiafoe won 6-4, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 over Australian Alexei Popyrin, while Dimitrov won 6-3, 7-6, 7-3, 1-6, 3-6, 6-3 against Russian Andrey Rublev.
Match preview
Predictions, forms, and head-to-head matchup between Grigor Dimitrov and Frances Tiafoe
For the first time this year, Dimitrov saw some difficulty at the US Open. However, he responded magnificently when it mattered most on Sunday, allowing him to reach this level at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2019.
Even though he lost his most recent quarterfinal encounter at the French Open to Jannik Sinner in straight sets, the Bulgarian stunned Roger Federer in five sets on that occasion.
He finally beat Rublev after three and a half hours of play, earning 80% of his first-serve points.
Though he had never dropped a set at the US Open until Sunday, Dimitrov's 75% win rate in matches decided the outcome. His net approach was a key factor in his victory.
This 33-year-old has been successful on hard courts in 2024, winning 52% of second-serve return points and converting 33% of break points.
Defeating Aslan Karatsev in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Australian Open and Sinner in this year's French Open are Dimitrov's most recent quarterfinal losses.
Predictions, forms, and head-to-head matchup between Grigor Dimitrov and Frances Tiafoe
Frances Tiafoe triumphed on seventy-seven percent of his first serve points in his fourth-round match against the big slayer from Australia.
While his opponent committed nine double faults, the 20th-ranked Orlando player committed only one, and the young American converted 60% of his break-point chances.
The only three Americans to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open this century are Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick, and Andre Agassi; on Tuesday, Tiafoe will join them.
After a rough start to the 2024 season, the 26-year-old has been on a roll recently, advancing to the quarterfinals of eight ATP tournaments and securing a spot in the semi-finals or higher on four separate occasions.
It will be Tiafoe's third trip to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament; he has only gone that far once previously, in 2022 at the US Open, when he beat Rublev in straight sets before succumbing to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets.
While he has won 47% of his return points in 2024 on hard courts, he has only won 64% of his serve points this year.
Head To Head and previous matches
Rogers Cup (2018)- Third round- Dimitrov wins 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 7-6 (7-4)
Laver Cup (2018)- Dimitrov wins 6-1 6-4
Australian Open (2019)- Fourth round- Tiafoe wins 7-5 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (7-1) 7-5
Wimbledon (2023)- Third round- Dimitrov wins 6-2 6-3 6-2
Despite serving 21 aces in their maiden Grand Slam match in Melbourne, Tiafoe rallied to win the match in four sets.
The American only won 61% of his first serve points, resulting in a lopsided loss for the American at last year's All England Club. Dimitrov, on the other hand, earned 93% of his first serves and 56% of his break opportunities, giving the Bulgarian a simple victory.
Our Predictions
Tiafoe to win in five sets on Sky247.ng
Long matches in Grand Slams are nothing new for any player; nonetheless, we are leaning toward the American, who seems to be a little faster on his feet than the elder Dimitrov, to win this match if it continues.
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