Grigor Dimitrov, the only Bulgarian in the tennis elite, faces Hubert Hurkach, the 11th in the world, in a quarter-final duel of the “Masters” in Paris.
First set
Grigor started with a diagonal forehand for 15-0 and an unreturned serve for 30-0. A net out did the trick for 40-0 before Hurkach tallied her first forehand winner, 40-15. The Pole overpowered with the front side of the racket and ended the game – 1:0.
So far, ATP No. 17 Grigor Dimitrov has dealt with World No. 22 Lorenzo Musetti, No. 3 Daniil Medvedev and No. 33 Alexander Bublik. Hurkac, for his part, successively eliminated Sebastian Korda, Roberto Bautista-Agut and Francisco Cerundolo.
Hubert Hurkach is an old acquaintance of the Bulgarian, and the statistics are completely on the side of Grigor, who has a perfect balance of 3-0 victories. The two last played this season in Rotterdam and Dimitrov won 7:6(4), 7:6(5). The tournament there was held on indoor hard courts, the same as the flooring in the Paris Hall “Bercy”
In addition to being rivals on the court, Grigor and Hurkach are also good friends, as during the year they partnered twice in doubles – in Indian Wells and Monte Carlo.
Hubert Hurkac has been in excellent form of late, winning 13 of his last 15 matches and reaching the final in two of his previous three tournaments. He won his second title of the season at the Shanghai Masters on October 15 and lost the title match in Basel last Sunday. Previously, at the end of February, the Pole took the trophy in Marseille.
If he also overcomes Hurkach, Grigor will qualify for his second semi-final in the “Bersi” hall after 2019, and there he will face the best between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov.
