Grigor Dimitrov dispatches Andy Murray in one-sided US Open clash, gets Zverev next

Two days after saving a trio of match points to survive in five at the US Open, Grigor Dimitrov only needed three sets to get the job done Thursday.

In a highly-anticipated matchup with 2012 champion Andy Murray, the No. 19 seed rolled through with relative ease. After two hours and 46 minutes, Dimitrov wrapped up a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 victory to book a third-round spot.

Murray didn’t help his cause in spraying 44 unforced errors to go with just 16 winners by contrast. He also dropped serve six times, including to end the match, as Dimitrov won two thirds of his second-serve return points.

The two were facing off for the first time in nearly seven years, when Murray prevailed to win the Beijing title as part of a torrid finish to the 2016 season that eventually secured him the No. 1 ranking for the first time. Dimitrov improved to 4-8 overall, with his most significant win in their series coming in the 2014 Wimbledon quarterfinals.

The Bulgarian has now reached the third round or better at every major this season, ending a three-match losing streak in second rounds contested at Flushing Meadows. It was here in 2019 that Dimitrov secured his first-ever win over Roger Federer to reach his most recent of three major semifinals.

Now 27-15 on the year, Dimitrov will meet 2020 runner-up Alexander Zverev for a trip to the second week. The matchup has proven problematic for the former world No. 3, as Zverev has claimed their past five encounters following Dimitrov’s initial win in 2014. The German has won all five sets they’ve played this season, dispatching the 32-year-old in the fourth round of Roland Garros and 16 days ago in the second round of Cincinnati.

The 12th-seeded Zverev defeated compatriot Daniel Altmaier, 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.