Tsitsipas survived match points from Dimitrov

the greek Stefanos Tsitsipas reached this Wednesday in the round of 16 of Rome Masters 1000 ATP after a difficult three-set against which Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov He is about to surprise and win (6-3, 5-7 and 7-6 (4)).

The Greek almost stumbled on his Foro Italico clay debut. The fourth seed suffered more than expected against a Bulgarian who almost achieved victory, with two points to prove the pass.

Tsitsipas celebrated the victory in the second round with relief. Fists in the air and eyes closed, feeling the weight removed from him, a suffering he did not expect on his debut in this edition.

And it started well. The first set was clear from Hellene, who rose to 3-0 by breaking the Bulgarian, a ‘break’ enough to get her back on track and where the subsequent reaction was certainly not expected.

But Dimitrov flattened the fight in the second set, where he was more solid, despite surrendering first to a service, and where he made the Greek hesitate by beating him back two service breaks if where he manages this sleeve.

In the final round, equality reigned again and Dimitrov, supported by the Italian public, put out his best right hands at crucial moments. But Tsitsipas is a lot of Tsitsipas.

The Greeks did not stop fighting and defended a match point against him to sign 5-5 in the marker and another to put 6-6. Dimitrov missed two golden chances to get into the round of 16, and Tsitsipas paid him.

In the condition of being the fourth seed and number five in the world, he did not allow himself to leave the first change. In the final ‘tie-break’, the usual Stefanos reappeared and signed 5-1 with him almost sealing his pass. The Bulgarian reacted, but it was not enough, the advantage was too wide.

In the eighth, the Greeks will face the hammer of Russia Karen Khachanov, who expelled Spaniard Pablo Carreño from the tournament.