At least fifth seed Grigor Dimitrov is assured of a shoulder to cry on after bowing out of the Brisbane International.
Better known as Maria Sharapova’s beau, the world No.23-ranked Bulgarian won’t be making an on-court name for himself in Brisbane this year after going down 7-5 7-5 to controversial Croatian Marin Cilic in the second round on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Dimitrov is travelling with Sharapova on the tour.
Four-time grand slam champion Sharapova is benefiting from the off-court love match that blossomed in May.
She has booked a Brisbane International quarter-final against former champion Kaia Kanepi in her first tournament in five months.
Dimitrov had recently spoken of the on-court benefits of dating Sharapova.
“I believe I have proven those people who said that my romantic relationship with Maria hurt my play were wrong – I know I have proven that it is exactly the opposite,” he said.
While Dimitrov may be looking for sympathy, Cilic is searching for his next victim as he revels in a second chance.
In his second tournament since returning from a four-month doping ban, Cilic became the second man to move into the Brisbane quarters after Australian Marinko Matosevic outlasted American Sam Querrey 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-4.
Coached by former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, the former top-10 player – now ranked 37th – made short work of Dimitrov as he tried to make up for lost time.
The International Tennis Federation handed Cilic a nine-month ban – later reduced to four by the Court of Arbitration for Sport – after it claimed he tested positive to a banned stimulant which the Croatian admitted ingesting via an over-the-counter glucose supplement.
Meanwhile, Matosevic booked a likely quarter-final with Roger Federer after downing Querrey in the second round.
World No.61 Matosevic arrived in Brisbane with a 0-9 record in main-draw matches Down Under – a horror run spanning back to 2010.
The 28-year-old fought back from 2-0 down and saved two set points in the 10th game before succumbing when a backhand return found the net, gifting 26-year-old Querrey the first set.
Matosevic had his service game threatened in the second set but forced a tie-break which he blitzed 7-3.
Fired up by the crowd, Matosevic jumped to a 3-0 lead in the third, only for world No.46 Querrey to break back in the seventh game but the Australian was not to be denied.
