Grigor Dimitrov continued his impressive record at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Tuesday when he overcame #NextGenATP American Ben Shelton 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the second round for the 11th time.
The Bulgarian is a two-time semi-finalist in the Principality and has now earned 21 match wins at the event, his most at any ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
In the first meeting against Shelton, Dimitrov stood close to the baseline to hammer the ball off both wings. The former World No. 3 struck 39 winners and hit an array of angles to force debutant Shelton wide, advancing after two hours and 12 minutes.
“It is one of those matches that I just needed to go through,” Dimitrov said. “I played a lot of good tennis. There were a lot of positives to take out of that…I just want to come out and play my game. I am excited. Clay courts have always been an interesting surface for me.”
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The 31-year-old Dimitrov will next meet Jiri Lehecka after the Czech overcame Finn lucky loser Emil Ruusuvuori 6-1, 7-5 to level their ATP Head2Head series at 2-2. Lehecka’s win was his first at a clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event.
The 20-year-old Shelton, currently at No. 39 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, was making his debut in Monte-Carlo. He earned his maiden clay-court victory in Estoril last week when he defeated Constant Lestienne.
“I have seen him quite a bit on hard,” Dimitrov said on Shelton. “He is pretty impressive. He has such a big serve, lefty, and not afraid to take a swing. A lot of work ahead of him, especially on this surface. I don’t doubt that with his game he will do well.”
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In other action, 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz survived a scare from Briton Jack Draper to reach the third round in Monte-Carlo. The Pole soaked up the 21-year-old’s powerful hitting to advance 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-5.
Hurkacz, who saved a match point in his first-round win against Laslo Djere, rallied from 40/0 on Draper’s serve at 5-6 in the third set to earn the decisive break, triumphing after two hours and 31 minutes.
“It is always a battle with Jack. No matter how much of a lead you have, he competes really well and is very resilient,” Hurkacz said. “It has been a lot of battles recently, so has not been really smooth. But I am really happy with the way I am competing. My game is maybe not where I want it to be, but I am putting in the work and I think the tough matches will make me stronger.”
The 26-year-old, who advanced to the quarter-finals in the Principality last year, will next meet seventh-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner of Argentine Diego Schwartzman.