Perusing the day’s schedule, there were quite a few matches which caught the eye and one of them being the popular Grigor Dimitrov facing the great entertainer, Gael Monfils.
I’m just glad the way I played, I put the match together, and also the way I recovered. I think that was the key Grigor Dimitrov
And both can be described as veterans of the sport, the Bulgarian, aged 33 and seeded 10th who turned pro in 2008 versus a 37-year-old Frenchman, world ranked 36 who is celebrating two decades as a professional player. Both had won the Boys’ championship in their junior days and were playing each other for the first time in eight years.
In their time they were rated highly but could never make that break which would have launched them into the upper levels of the game which of course was dominated by the Big Four.
Known as ‘Baby Fed’ because of his excellent and smooth one-handed backhand, Dimitrov was also famously involved with Maria Sharapova for two years which might also be one of the reasons his game and ranking slipped before coming alive again this year.
Monfils has always been an extrovert which the crowds love and, in many pundits opinion, could well have risen much higher in world terms had he not enjoyed playing to the crowds!
Consequently, the two coming together at The Championships, proved a major attraction in the third round of matches — and the duo did not disappoint by providing an entertaining contest.
On this occasion, however hard he tried, Monfils could not prevent Dimitrov from dispatching him to reach the fourth round, using his fluid backhand to skewer him every time he attempted to take the initiative by approaching the net.
As Dimitrov broke for 4-3 in the third set, Monfils chased after one last ball only to slip, fall, and almost crash into a linesman. Fortunately, he wasn’t hurt and continued the match but to no avail though his contribution to the contest was appreciated by all.
For Dimitrov it was a relief after being taken to five sets in the previous round when he had to recover from two sets down to defeat the Chinese youngster Junchen Shang.
“Good match. Much better than yesterday,” Dimitrov acknowledged. “Obviously it’s never easy when you have to come back to play the next day after playing five sets. But I’m just glad the way I played, I put the match together, and also the way I recovered. I think that was the key.”
Grigor Dimitrov (R) embraces Gael Monfils following their third round match
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
