Bulgarian tennis star Grigor Dimitrov, seeded second, secured his place in the semifinals of the Brisbane International after Australian Jordan Thompson retired due to a calf injury. The match at Queensland Tennis Centre on Friday ended with Dimitrov leading 6-1, 2-1.
Thompson, seeded eighth and ranked No. 26, received medical treatment twice for his right calf before withdrawing. Dimitrov, ranked No. 10 and last year’s champion, expressed sympathy for his opponent. “It’s very unfortunate for him,” Dimitrov said. “I hope he’s ready for the Aussie Open. I just focused on my game and stayed in control from the start.”
The 33-year-old Bulgarian will face Czech Jiri Lehecka in what will be his sixth Brisbane semifinal appearance. Dimitrov’s path to the semis included wins over German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann (7-6(5), 6-3) and Australian wildcard Aleksandar Vukic (6-2, 7-6(5)).
Thompson had earlier impressed with victories over Italian Matteo Berrettini (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) and American Alex Michelsen (7-5, 6-3). Unfortunately, his campaign was cut short due to injury.
Quarterfinal Results
Pat Rafter Arena
- Reilly Opelka (USA) def. Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1]: 7-6(6), 6-3
- Umpire: Arnaud Gabas
- Opelka clinched the match with 16 aces and three match points.
- Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) [2] def. Jordan Thompson (AUS) [8]: 6-1, 2-1 (RET)
- Umpire: Renaud Lichtenstein
- Dimitrov advanced as Thompson retired due to injury.
Show Court 1
- Jiri Lehecka (CZE) def. Nicolas Jarry (CHI): 6-4, 6-4
- Umpire: Christian Rask
- Lehecka secured a straight-sets victory with solid baseline play.
- Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (FRA) def. Jakub Mensik (CZE): 7-5, 7-6(5)
- Umpire: Simon Cannavan
- Perricard showcased his serving power to edge out Mensik.
FAQs
1. Why did Jordan Thompson retire from the match? Thompson retired due to a right calf injury after receiving medical treatment twice during the match.
2. Who will Grigor Dimitrov face next? Dimitrov will play Czech rising star Jiri Lehecka in the semifinals.
3. How many times has Dimitrov reached the Brisbane semifinals? This marks Dimitrov’s sixth appearance in the Brisbane International semifinals.
4. What were Thompson’s notable victories in this tournament? Thompson defeated Matteo Berrettini and Alex Michelsen in earlier rounds.
5. Who else advanced to the Brisbane semifinals? Reilly Opelka, Jiri Lehecka, and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard joined Dimitrov in the semifinals.
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