Comparing careers, Grigor Dimitrov – the one-time world No.3 and 2017 season-ending champion – should stop Alex de Minaur’s bold US Open run on Sunday.
But scratch the surface and it’s clear de Minaur is a hot favourite to back up his electrifying win over Kei Nishikori and set up a quarter-final showstopper with Roger Federer.
Dimitrov is a shadow of his old self, slumping to 78th in the rankings after a dire 2019 season featuring more losses than wins.
The fallen force won just one match between the French Open and arriving in New York, a crisis of confidence leading to five first-round defeats, the most forgettable a humbling straight-sets loss to world No.405 Kevin King in Atlanta – where de Minaur landed his second title of the year.
An Australian Open semi-finalist only two years ago, Dimitrov has needed a major leg-up to reach the last 16 at Flushing Meadows.
He needed four sets to get past 35-year-old Andreas Seppi in round one, received a walkover in round two and was unconvincing in a third-round win over qualifying lucky loser Kamil Majchrzak.
Now the Bulgarian’s dream draw is over, according to de Minaur’s countryman Nick Kyrgios.
“De Min, he’s an absolute warrior. He can beat a lot of good players. When I see him progressing through a draw, I know it’s a nightmare for anyone who comes across him,” Kyrgios said.
De Minaur, though, is taking nothing for granted, promising only to leave it all out there in his bid to gatecrash the quarter-finals at a grand slam for the first time.
“I’ll take it as a big opportunity,” the 20-year-old said.
“This is where I want to be, so I’ll go out there and leave 100 per cent. Nothing changes.”
Victory over Dimitrov and a ninth win for Federer from 10 clashes with David Goffin would thrust de Minaur into a dream match-up with the great Swiss on Tuesday.
Not that that’s providing any added motivation.
“I don’t think about that because I don’t look at the draw. Now I know,” said de Minaur, whose two hardcourt titles this season are matched only by Kyrgios and reigning US Open champion and world No.1 Novak Djokovic.
