By Adrianna Outlaw | Friday, January 5, 2018
World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov will face Nick Kyrgios in a Brisbane semifinal that's a rematch of the 2017 Cincinnati final.
Photo credit: @BrisbaneTennis
Grigor Dimitrov is a compassionate competitor.
When opponent Kyle Edmund crashed to the court in agony at 4-all in the final set of their Brisbane quarterfinal, Dimitrov showed his sportsmanship and concern leaping the net to attend to his fallen foe.
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Watch the world No. 3 go into EMS mode, hurdle the net and rush to Edmund's side.
Edmund rolled his right ankle toppling to the court.
Eventually, Dimitrov helped the hobbled Briton to his court-side seat.
The world No. 50 had his ankle taped up and gamely finished out the match, but was clearly compromised.
Defending champion Dimitrov wrapped up a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4 victory to score his seventh straight win. That winning streak stretches back to Dimitrov's undefeated run to the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals title last November.
“At the end of the day, health above all,” Dimitrov said on court. “It’s very unfortunate what happened, for sure.
“I’ve seen this too many times, I know the feeling. I really hope he gets better. I knew the last two games he wasn’t at his best so I just had to find a way again.”
Dimitrov advanced to a blockbuster semifinal against Aussie Nick Kyrgios.
That match is a rematch of the Cincinnati final, which Dimitrov won, 6-3, 7-5.
The Bulgarian won their only other encounter, squeezing out a 7-6 (2), 3-6, 7-6 (4) triumph at the 2015 Indian Wells.
The enigmatic Kyrgios capitulated the opening set to Alexandr Dolgopolov then dug in and played dynamic tennis in a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph.
Kyrgios, who played with strapping on the back of his leg, cranked 18 aces and permitted just five points on first serve.
Eighteen-year-old Aussie sensation Alex De Minaur mauled Michael Mmoh, 6-4, 6-0, continuing his strong surge into the semifinals.
The 208th-ranked De Minaur, who upset fourth-seeded Milos Raonic in the prior round, will take on American Ryan Harrison for a spot in the final.
Harrison led Denis Istomin, 7-6 (6), 4-2 when Istomin retired.