By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday October 20, 2024
Tommy Paul pushed past Grigor Dimitrov for his second Stockholm title, and fourth overall.
Photo Source: TTV
Two former Stockholm champions locked horns on Sunday, each angling to add to their 2024 title cache, and it was American Tommy Paul who rose to the challenge, defeating 2013 champion Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3.
With the victory, Paul becomes the fourth player to win at least three ATP titles in 2024 (Dallas, Queen’s Club and Stockholm), and wins his second crown at Stockholm, the scene of his first ATP title in 2021.
“This is a very special place for me,” Paul said. “This is where I got my first title a few years ago – to come out here and play the level of tennis I did this week, it’s been a dream.”
Dimitrov, the all-time match win leader at Stockholm with 20, was playing his fourth Stockholm final, but he could not match the formidable attack of 27-year-old Paul, who did not miss a beat as he marched to his fourth career title.
The World No.13 broke Dimitrov four times and won 16 of 25 second-serve return points.
Credit 33-year-old Dimitrov for making it close, particularly in the first set. Already down a break in the opener, the Bulgarian saved a pair of break points to avoid going down double-break then broke back to get back on serve at 3-4.
After another trade of breaks Paul closed out the roller coaster opening set with a fourth consecutive break to claim it 6-4.
In the second set the American settled at 3-3 and dropped just four points the rest of the way as he raced away with the final three games.
"The clear winner today was Tommy,” Dimitrov said. “He was playing amazing… This week was a great step forward, the past couple of months have been very difficult for me physically.
“Step by step I'm getting into the right path again."
10th-ranked Dimitrov drops to 9-12 in ATP finals, while Paul improves to 4-3 in title matches.
“Always a privilege,” Paul told Dimitrov during the awards ceremony. “I’ve looked up to you and your team for a long time.”