By Chris Oddo | Monday January 23, 2016
Grigor Dimitrov overcame a fast start from Denis Istomin to win in four sets and reach the quarterfinals.
Photo Source: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Grigor Dimitrov ended the run of giant-killer Denis Istomin with a determined Day 8 effort that lands the Bulgarian into his second Australian Open quarterfinal. Dimitrov’s 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-1 victory sets up a quarterfinal with No.11-seeded David Goffin.
More: Lucic-Baroni has a Defiant Message for Doubters
Istomin had the better of the play in the first set and it showed on the scoreboard as Dimitrov was broken in the fourth and sixth games thanks to some timely returns from his opponent and 11 unforced errors.
The World No.119 had himself a break point to seize control of the second set but Dimitrov, perhaps sensing the danger of the moment, rose to the occasion by saving two break points, the first with an ace and the next on an Istomin error.
From there the pair marched lockstep to a second-set tiebreaker, one that proved to be the turning point in the match.
Dimitrov raced out to a 4-1 lead then won the final three points to level at a set apiece.
From there the toll exacted by his deepest Australian Open run in 11 career appearances became apparent. Istomin, already struggling in the balmy early evening heat, sought the attention of a trainer to work on his ailing left hip between sets.
He would not be the same.
Dimitrov, meanwhile, would be inspired. The Bulgarian won 12 of the final 15 games, saving the lone break point he faced in the final two sets and biding his time as Istomin tried to bite off more than he can chew down the stretch.
The 30-year-old struck seven winners and threw in a whopping 24 unforced errors in the final two sets as Dimitrov coasted to victory, closing affairs in two hours and 24 minutes.
The Bulgarian finds himself back in the last eight of a major for the first time in his last ten Grand Slam appearances (and third time of his career). He boasts a 4-0 lifetime record against Goffin, but the pair have not met since 2014, with their other three meetings coming in 2010 on the Futures and Challenger circuits.
Goffin battled his way past Dominic Thiem earlier on Monday in round of 16 action. The Belgian won the final three sets and dropped just four games across sets three and four to defeat Thiem for the sixth time in nine previous tilts.
Goffin is into his second career major quarterfinal, and his second his last four Slam appearances.