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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 03: Roger Federer (L) of Switzerland and Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria pose for a photo prior to their Men’s Singles quarterfinal match on day nine of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 03, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 03: Roger Federer (L) of Switzerland and Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria pose for a photo prior to their Men’s Singles quarterfinal match on day nine of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 03, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Since winning the 2017 ATP Finals, Grigor Dimitrov has endured a tough period with injuries and bad form. But at the 2019 US Open, there was a difference in the former World No.3. Everyone remembers his epic upset of Roger Federer at the quarterfinal stage. And even for Dimitrov, it is his favorite win of his career.
In a recent interview with Hello Monaco, Dimitrov revealed that he will always cherish his 2019 US Open victory over Federer.
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“Well, I did it last year at the US Open against Roger. And I think to beat him on such an occasion and the way it happened, it meant more to me than against any other player.”
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Roger Federer meets Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria after losing during his Men’s Singles quarterfinal match at 2019 US Open. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Grigor Dimitrov vs Roger Federer: 2019 US Open
Dimitrov came into the US Open 2019 unseeded. And reaching the quarterfinal stage, he wasn’t anybody’s favorite to beat Federer, who was also playing well. But both the players played out of five-set thriller and in the end, Dimitrov had enough to break Federer down.
Speaking more about why he remembers the match so much, he admitted that the match, as a whole, was wonderful for him. How it unfolded, and the fact that it was against Federer makes it stick out in his mind.
“Of course I appreciate so many other wins that I’ve had, but that particular win, it meant more than the actual win to me. I would say that match was the one that sticks out the most.”
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Roger Federer dejected during his match. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
That was Dimitrov’s eighth match against Federer, and prior to that, the head-to-head was 7-0 in Federer’s favor. In the match, Federer led 2-1 after the third set and later had six breakpoints to break Dimitrov’s serve in the fourth set. But the Bulgarian hung on and took the match to the decider.
In the fifth set, Dimitrov took an emphatic 4-0 lead and sealed the last set 6-2.
Sadly, Dimitrov’s 2019 US Open run ended at the semifinals as he lost to Daniil Medvedev in straight sets. Even so, that was Bulgarian’s best US Open finish. The circumstances of that tournament and the fact of beating Roger Federer made it a memorable tournament for Dimitrov.
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