Grigor Dimitrov came from behind to upset home favourite Cameron Norrie Monday at the Cinch Championships, scoring a 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-4 victory over the third seed at The Queen's Club in London.
The unseeded Bulgarian, playing in his first event since a third-round run at Roland Garros, started strong on the grass but still found himself a set down as Great Britain's Norrie dominated the opening-set tie-break by winning the final four points in a row.
But Dimitrov maintained his strong form on serve — he did not face a break point until the third set, when he saved all four against him — and began to make inroads on return as the match progressed. After dominating the second set, Dimitrov scored the lone break of the third in the set's fifth game. He escaped 0/40 to hold for 5-3, then served it out after seeing a match point go begging on the return.
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It's the World No. 22's first ATP Head2Head victory over Norrie following straight-sets defeats at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Miami and Indian Wells last season.
Dimitrov could face another Briton next, if qualifier Paul Jubb gets past Botic van de Zandschulp.
Marin Cilic, a semi-finalist at Roland Garros in his last outing, knocked out Great Britain's Liam Broady, 6-1, 4-6, 7-5, to close the day's play in London. The seventh seed was headed for a routine victory, up a set and a break, but lost command of his serve midway through the second to hand Broady a lifeline.
After conceding two breaks in three shaky service games to close the second, Cilic regrouped in the third. He cruised to three love holds in the decider, dropping just four points on serve in the set, and earned the crucial break with Broady serving at 5-5.
“It was entertaining, I have to say. And a little bit nerve-wracking,” assessed Cilic. “It's not easy. First match of the tournament, first match on the grass. [Broady] fought really hard… he came back and gave me a lot of trouble.”
The two-time Queen's Club champion, who called the event “the best week of the year”, next faces Alexander Bublik. The 24-year-old took a 6-3 opening set against Lorenzo Musetti before the #NextGenATP Italian retired following a fall.
