Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov celebrates winning his match against Australia’s Nick Kyrgios. (Source: Reuters)
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov kept his cool in the Rod Laver Arena maelstrom to knock home favourite Nick Kyrgios out of the Australian Open in a fourth-round thriller on Sunday.
Third seed Dimitrov absorbed 76 winners and struck 64 of his own to edge a scintillating duel 7-6(3) 7-6(4) 4-6 7-6(4).
You have exhausted your monthly limit of free stories.
Read more stories for free with an Express account.
Kyrgios fought until the end, breaking back when Dimitrov served for the match at 5-3 in the fourth set but Dimitrov booked a quarter-final spot in the night’s third tiebreak when he fired a sublime forehand winner.
Defeat for Kyrgios means Australia’s long wait for a men’s champion at their home slam will extend to a 43rd year.
Dimitrov will play British player Kyle Edmund for a place in his second successive semi-final in Melbourne.
