By Chris Oddo | Wednesday February 14, 2018
Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin took care of business and won in straight sets to advance at Rotterdam.
Photo Source: ABN Amro
Grigor Dimitrov got past a tough customer to set up a second-round encounter with Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic in Rotterdam.
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Dimitrov found his game at the conclusion of each set to get past the world No. 41 from Sendai. The No.2-seeded Bulgarian broke Sugita in the tenth game of the first set to take the opener then he broke serve with Sugita serving to force a decider to level at 5-all in set two.
Dimitrov went on to close out a 6-4, 7-6(5) win in the tiebreaker to improve to 7-2 on the season and 3-0 lifetime against Sugita.
Dimitrov improves to 9-6 lifetime at Rotterdam. He lost to David Goffin in the quarterfinals last year.
Goffin trounced Feliciano Lopez, 6-1, 6-3 on Wednesday, dropping just six points on serve. The No.4-seeded Belgian moves into the quarterfinals and will face No.6-seeded Tomas Berdych next.
Berdych saved the only break point he faced and defeated Viktor Troicki, 6-1, 6-2 on Wednesday.
Other winners on Wednesday were Andrey Rublev, who took out Lucas Pouille, 7-5, 6-4, and Robin Haase, who defeated compatriot Thiemo de Bakker, 6-2, 6-2.
Pierre Hugues-Herbert came through when Richard Gasquet retired after four games due to injury, and Damir Dzumhur took out Marius Copil, 6-4, 6-4.