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By Alberto Amalfi | Monday, January 2, 2017

Grigor Dimitrov and David Ferrer made winning starts to the season in Brisbane.

The 17th-ranked Dimitrov defeated American Steve Johnson for the third time in the last six months, 6-2, 6-3, in his Brisbane International opener.

Watch: Federer Plans To Play Two To Three Years

“That first match is always so hard, I feel,” Dimitrov said. “I had a good offseason, first of all, so I’m just pleased to be back on the court. Obviously the offseason is one of the hardest periods for us because we don’t really compete, but we practice a lot. I was kind of anxious to come out tonight.”

Dimitrov, a 2013 Brisbane finalist, hit a spinning stab volley to seal the opening set.

The seventh-seeded Dimitrov will face Nicolas Mahut for a quarterfinal spot.

In an all-French clash, Mahut hit 13 aces rallying past Stephane Robert, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Dimitrov defeated Mahut in their lone prior meeting at the 2012 Queen’s Club.

In his Brisbane debut, David Ferrer denied Bernard Tomic, 6-3, 7-5. The eighth-seeded Spaniard, an Australian Open quarterfinalist in 2016, adanced to a second-round meeting with another Australian, wild card Jordan Thompson.

British No. 2 Kyle Edmund squeezed past American qualifier Ernesto Escobedo, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6).


 

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