Top seed Dimitrov forced to retire against Thiem in Winston-Salem

Tennis – Wimbledon – All England Garden Tennis and Croquet Membership, London, Britain – June 28, 2022 Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in motion throughout his first spherical match in opposition to Steve Johnson of the U.S. REUTERS/Matthew Childs

Aug 23 (Reuters) – Grigor Dimitrov got here out robust however pale quick because the Winston-Salem Open’s high seed was pressured to retire from his match in opposition to Dominic Thiem, sending the Austrian into the Spherical of 16.

With lower than per week to go earlier than the beginning of the U.S. Open, Dimitrov got here out sharp, unleashing a torrent of backhanded slices to maintain Thiem off stability because the Bulgarian raced by way of the surprisingly one-sided first set 6-0.

However issues took a flip for the more serious for Dimitrov at 2-2 within the second and he started to misfire in bunches in an obvious try and shorten factors.

After a go to from medical workers, he stepped as much as the road to serve whereas trailing 2-4 however determined he was feeling too unwell to proceed and shook fingers on the web, the place he waited for Thiem whereas hunched over.

The win offers one other lifeline to 2020 U.S. Open champion Thiem, who needed to save two match factors to win his rain-delayed opener in opposition to American J.J. Wolf the day earlier than.

Thiem will subsequent face both Italy’s Fabio Fognini or Britain’s Jack Draper.

Earlier within the day, France’s Benjamin Bonzi, Australia’s Jason Kubler and Individuals Maxime Cressy and Steve Johnson had been amongst those that superior in straight units on the ATP 250 match in North Carolina.

Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Enhancing by Christopher Cushing

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