By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Tunisian wild card Malek Jaziri scored the biggest win of his career shocking top-seeded Grigor Dimitrov, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, in his Dubai opener.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Jazz struck a career crescendo in Dubai.
Tunisian wild card Malek Jaziri scored the biggest win of his career shocking top-seeded Grigor Dimitrov, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, in his Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships opener.
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The 117th-ranked Jaziri, nicknamed "Jazz", took the court with a 1-21 career record against Top 20 opponents and has not won back-to-back tournament matches all season.
None of that mattered much to the 34-year-old Jaziri, who pounded the pink-clad Dimitrov's one-handed backhand in outplaying the world No. 4 throughout much of the final two sets.
Jaziri stood up to the ATP Finals champion's variety as well as stiff pressure. Jaziri saved a break point in the final game with a pair of well-placed volleys and served out the two hour, 17-minute triumph earning his first victory over a Top 15-ranked opponent since he defeated 14th-ranked David Goffin at the 2016 Shenzhen.
In his first Dubai appearance in seven years, Dimitrov was his own worst enemy.
The Bulgarian struggled to land his serve, clanking 12 double faults against 14 aces. At times, Dimitrov inexplicably attacked the Tunisian's stronger forehand wing and spit up 12 unforced errors against just two winners off his one-handed backhand.
Initially, it was Jaziri's serve that went off course. Pressure constricted Jaziri's right arm in the 10th game as he double-faulted twice in succession handing Dimitrov the opening set.
The Tunisian wild card continued to apply pressure, while Dimitrov struggled to solve his service issues.
A two double-fault game put the ATP Finals champion down double break point in the ninth game. Staying calm, Dimitrov spun a short-angled inside-out forehand to saved the second and get back to deuce.
Sliding an ace, Dimitrov held for 5-4.
Jaziri, who held with more authority throughout the second set, reached deuce on Dimitrov's serve for the third game in a row at 5-all. Jaziri jolted a forehand return winner down the line for a fifth break point. Attacking, Dimitrov was in perfect position to knock off a volley but his forehand drop volley attempt expired in the top of the net.
Jaziri trotted to his seat with the break and a 6-5 lead. When Dimitrov put a backhand return into the top of the tape, the world No. 117 leveled the match after 91 minutes.
Seeking to reset after a bathroom break, Dimitrov opened the decider netting his 10th double fault, but shrugged it off to hold.
A resourceful Jaziri withstood a challenging test saving a couple of break points holding for 3-all.
At the two-hour mark, the 6'3" Bulgarian dumped his 12th double fault into the tape to face triple break point. Jaziri belted a backhand down the line—taking his ninth of the last 10 points—breaking for 4-3.
Powering through a strong hold, Jaziri won 13 of the last 15 points—three consecutive games—seizing a 5-3 lead.
Fighting off a pair of match points—the first with an inside-out forehand and second on a stinging serve—Dimitrov save two match points holding in the ninth game.
Serving for match, Jaziri fended off a break point with successive angled volleys. Jamming an inside-out forehand into the corner, he drew a backhand error for a third match point.
Nine minutes after his first match point, Jaziri jolted a serve into Dimitrov's backhand then sealed his biggest victory dropping to his knees and kissing the Dubai hard court.
A 2014 Dubai quarterfinalist, Jaziri will play Dutchman Robin Haase for a quarterfinal return. Haase held off French qualifier Quentin Halys, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.
No. 2-seeded Lucas Pouille, who lost the Marseille final to practice partner Karen Khachanov on Sunday, will face the 21-year-old Russian powerhouse for the second time in days.
Pouille conquered qualifier Ernests Gulbis, 6-4, 6-4, in 79 minutes raising his record to 8-3 on the season. Pouille reached the Dubai semifinals last February.
Khachanov cracked 14 aces and saved two of three break points defeating Denis Istomin, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0). The 94-minute victory stretched Khachanov's winning streak to six matches.
World No. 50 Borna Coric stopped a hobbled Richard Gasquet, who was bothered by a groin injury, 6-4, 6-3.
The 21-year-old Coric, a 2015 Dubai semifinalist, will take on another Frenchman with a beautiful backhand, Benoit Paire, for a quarterfinal spot.