'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Grigor Dimitrov was all praise for Carlos Alcaraz after beating him in straight sets to reach the semifinals of the 2024 Miami Open on Thursday (March 28).
Dimitrov initially lost his first three matches against Alcaraz. but produced some fine tennis against the Spaniard to beat him in their last two encounters at the
The former World No. 3 was quick to get off the blocks, breaking the two-time Major winner in the second game of the first set before winning it 6-2. Carlos Alcaraz gave some stiff resistance in the second set but it was one-way traffic as the 11th seed broke him twice to nab a 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Speaking to the media after his win, Grigor Dimitrov showered praise on the World No. 2 for his competitive spirit and called him a "firecracker". He also said that he enjoyed his rivalry with the youngster despite being 12 years older than him.
"Carlos is such — you know, I always call him like a firecracker. He's amazing. I love watching him play. Honestly, I love watching him playing, I love practicing against him, competing against him," Grigor Dimitrov said. "I mean, I'm 12 years older than him. It's honestly a lot of fun for me to challenge myself. It's a great opportunity for me."
"You cannot really let Carlos Alcaraz hit the ball" - Grigor Dimitrov on his tactics during Miami Open QF win
During the press conference, Grigor Dimitrov also claimed that one of the keys to beating Carlos Alcaraz is not allowing him enough time to swipe through shots. The Bulgarian used the seventh game of the second set as a case in point, which saw the Spaniard regain his rhythm and swat forehand winners at will.
"Against him, you cannot really let him hit the ball. I think we saw what happened even when I was up a break in the second set of the game he broke me," Grigor Dimitrov said. "It was straight up four forehands. Absolutely nothing I could have done."
While many players would've lost control of the match after the above occurrence, the World No. 12 maintained his focus. He admitted that in the final game of the match, where he broke Alcaraz to seal the deal, he had a lot of conviction in his game.
"Can I get mad? Yeah, I can. But there was no, you know, there was no reason for me to kind of drift away," the Bulgarian added. "I just had to stay patient. I was aware of what was happening, how it was happening.
"And I knew that if I had another chance and opportunity, I could really, like, step in, and that would have given me another opportunity. That's what happened I think in the last game. I didn't pull back. I kept on believing in the game that I was playing, and again, the execution was very good."
After defeating Carlos Alcaraz, Grigor Dimitrov will next face fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the semifinals, with the winner facing either second seed Jannik Sinner or third seed Daniil Medvedev in the Miami Open final.
