Grigor Dimitrov planned to watch the Nick Kyrgios v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga blockbuster from an ice bath, and expected to be entertained as he learned the identity of his fourth round opponent at Melbourne Park.
Yet a measure of his renowned work ethic is that the crazy-fit third seed also flagged a possible evening practice session indoors “to try a few things” - despite having just spent more than three hours on a sizzling-hot Rod Laver Arena to eke out a 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-4 defeat of rising star Andrey Rublev. Yes, seriously.
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Clearly, the 26-year-old feels there is much to work on. Having claimed the biggest title of his career at the prestigious ATP Finals in London in November to soar into the world’s top three, Dimitrov has started more modestly in 2018. He failed to defend his Brisbane International title, beaten by Kyrgios in a three-set semi-final, and survived an almighty fright from unknown qualifier Mackenzie McDonald before escaping 8-6 in the fifth set of his second round here.
Nor was he on song for much of his clash with Rublev, one that included 15 double faults among 61 unforced errors, 26 of them from the backhand side. In the end, Dimitrov did not win convincingly, but won, nevertheless, his exuberant fall-to-the-knees-with-arms-raised-while-bellowing-YESSSSS celebration a measure of how much it all meant.
“These are the most important matches for me, when things are not working and I’m able to find a way,” said Dimitrov, who avenged his US Open loss to the lanky Russian. “I knew what to expect. I knew what I had to do, but certain things in my game are not working at the moment. I’m just pleased to win the match.
“Physically, I’m feeling pretty good … The heat didn’t scare me today, so that a good sign. I just have to stay calm and composed, I guess.’’
Dimitrov equalled his 2014 Wimbledon result by reaching the last four here 12 months ago, losing a classic five-setter to Rafael Nadal. The best he managed at the three subsequent majors was a fourth round at Wimbledon, and a debut appearance in a Grand Slam final would be an important achievement for a player long tipped for greatness.
He is Rublev’s senior by six years, and 29 rankings spots, and while the 30th seed and former junior No.1 is one of the Next Generation’s poster boys, Dimitrov is a pin-up of the more generic kind. The charismatic star’s current girlfriend is pop star Nicole Scherzinger and Maria Sharapova a former squeeze, so perhaps just plain “pin-up” will do, here.
Which underlines the importance of a victory that was not pretty, but, considering the circumstances, terribly important in the narrative of the Dimitrov story still unfolding. Rublev’s tale will tell of a young man who recorded his best Australian Open result, having in 2017 become the youngest quarter-finalist at Flushing Meadows since Andy Roddick in 2001.
More to come from him, too. Much more.