Dimitrov Becomes the First Player to Reach the Miami Open Round of 16 2025

Bulgarian tennis star Grigor Dimitrov, currently ranked 15th in the world, became the first player to secure a spot in the Round of 16 at the prestigious Miami Masters 1000 tournament. He achieved this milestone after a hard-fought victory over Russian opponent Karen Khachanov, ranked 23rd, in a thrilling three-set match that ended 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 7-5 on Sunday.

Dimitrov, who was the runner-up in last year’s edition of the tournament, needed two hours and 38 minutes to clinch the victory in a match that tested his resilience and tactical acumen. The first set was fiercely contested, with both players holding their serves throughout, leading to a tiebreak. Khachanov capitalized on key points in the tiebreak to take the set 7-6 (7-3), putting Dimitrov under pressure.

Despite the early setback, Dimitrov showcased his experience and composure in the second set. He managed to secure a crucial break when the score was tied at 3-3, which allowed him to gain momentum. That break proved to be decisive, as he held his serve for the remainder of the set, winning it 6-4 and forcing the match into a deciding third set.

The final set saw both players fiercely battling for control. At 3-3, Dimitrov earned another break opportunity, but Khachanov responded brilliantly with three consecutive powerful serves, denying the Bulgarian a chance to pull ahead. The Russian also had opportunities to break Dimitrov’s serve when leading 4-3, but the Bulgarian remained steadfast, saving multiple break points to stay in the match.

As the set progressed, Dimitrov’s persistence paid off. He finally broke Khachanov’s serve at 5-5, giving himself the chance to serve for the match. Despite Khachanov’s efforts to save two match points, Dimitrov remained composed and sealed the victory, advancing to the Round of 16.

Following his win, Dimitrov expressed his excitement about reaching another milestone in his career. "It’s an amazing feeling," he said. "Last year, I reached 100 career wins in indoor tournaments, and now achieving this in the Masters 1000 events on hard courts is very special. Every time you accomplish something like this, it feels incredible."

Praising his opponent, Dimitrov acknowledged the difficulty of the match. "Karen and I know each other very well. We’ve trained together for a long time, so there were no surprises in our strategies. In the end, it came down to just a few points," he added.

With this victory, Dimitrov now holds a 5-1 lead in head-to-head encounters against Khachanov. However, it was Khachanov who had emerged victorious in their last meeting, which took place in the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters 1000 last November.

In the Round of 16, Dimitrov is set to face the winner of the match between American Brandon Nakashima (ranked 32nd) and Belgium’s David Goffin (ranked 55th). Goffin recently made headlines by pulling off a stunning upset against Carlos Alcaraz, the world No. 3, in the previous round.

With his strong form and growing confidence, Dimitrov will be aiming to make another deep run in Miami and possibly challenge for the title that eluded him last year.