Dimitrov downed by Federer in Brisbane
Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov lost in straight sets in the Brisbane International semi-finals against former world number one Roger Federer (2-6, 2-6) in a match that lasted less than an hour.
It was Dimitrov’s third loss in as many matches against the player to whom he has been compared a lot early in his career and, once again, he could find no counter to Federer’s aggressive style. Dimitrov had his chances, but could not convert any of his four break points, while Federer was 4-for-7 on break point.
Dimitrov will next play in the Australian Open, which starts in Melbourne on January 19, where he reached his first career Grand Slam quarterfinal last year.
Federer, meanwhile, could add another line to his list of achievements in the Brisbane final, as a victory would make him only the third player in history to reach the 1000-win mark on the ATP Tour. He will play Canada’s Milos Raonic, who won the other semi-final against Kei Nishikori in a gruelling match that saw three tie-breaks and lasted more than two hours and a half.
(Grigor Dimitrov, photo: mirsasha/flickr.com)