MONTE CARLO - Two-time Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov survived a stern test posed by world No. 58 Nicolas Jarry, advancing to the second round, where he will meet Monegasque wild card Valentin Vacherot in The Principality.
World No. 18 Grigor Dimitrov was made to work by Chile’s top racquet, Nicolas Jarry, to take a 6-3, 6-4 win in one hour and 46 minutes, progressing to the second round at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Tuesday.
The players exchanged breaks to open proceedings on Court Reinier III; Jarry hit first, but Dimitrov reacted fast, holding to take a 2-1 lead.
Under pressure, the Chilean player found himself 15-40 down on his serve, one of his most powerful weapons. And though he rallied through two battles at deuce, he could not halt his opponent from converting a double break in his fourth attempt to inch on top 4-2.
As the first set wore on, the Bulgarian, playing in his first clay event this season, began to find his groove on a stage where he has become a two-time semifinalist.
Toward the end of the opening set, Jarry, facing the 15th-seeded player for the third time at tour level, found some consistency behind his booming service, holding at love to narrow the gap at 3-5.
Despite the late challenge posed by the 29-year-old, the nine-time ATP titlist did not hesitate to close out 6-4 in 40 minutes, winning 76 percent of the points on his first delivery.
Wise on the return, he recorded a return rate of 175 compared to his adversary’s 127.
As play resumed, the top-ranked Bulgarian player in history picked up where he left off, breaking to open the second set and holding.
Striking the ball cleanly from both wings, damaging the Santiago native with his pristine one-handed backhand, Dimitrov produced a double break in the third game of the second set, extending his advantage to 3-0.
However, Jarry regrouped, and after breaking straight back, he held his ground throughout an extended fifth game, in which he moved well - worth noting he is 6’7”- saving two breakpoints in the process and coming forward to narrow the gap 2-3.
The three-time ATP winner stepped up the pressure, testing his rival, firing groundstrokes from the baseline, rising to the occasion as the match marched into a dramatic end of the second set.
An extended 10th game saw the 33-year-old, the second player with the most wins at the tournament among active players, saving three breakpoints before pocketing the set and the match 6-4 on his seventh match point.
All in all, the former world number three hit 10 winners to 27 unforced errors, winning 6 of 6 net approaches and earning 72 percent of the points on his first serve.
Meanwhile, Jarry struck 19 winners against 33 unforced errors and converted 2 of 9 break point chances he had.
Next, the player mentored by Jamie Delgado will square off against Monegasque wild card Valentin Vacherot, who ousted German Jan-Lennard Struff to secure his place in the main draw.
Dimitrov and two-time champion Novak Djokovic are on a third-round collision course.
The third seed will open his run at the Monte-Carlo Country Club against Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, coming off the back of a memorable first-round victory over former champion Stan Wawrinka.
