Three-time major semifinalist and 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov will face former U.S. Open champion and two-time Grand Slam runner-up Marin Cilic in one of the most anticipated matches of the first round of the Australian Open on Monday, February 8, with the match likely to begin at around 10 am local time (11 pm BST or 6 pm Eastern Time previous day). Get the live streaming options of this Grigor Dimitrov v Marin Cilic match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Grigor Dimitrov v Marin Cilic Head to Head
Cilic leads Dimitrov 4-2 from their previous six meetings. The last time they faced each other was at Roland Garros in 2019, which saw Dimitrov emerge victorious after a five-set thriller.
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Dimitrov Looking For Another Solid Run
2017 ATP Finals champion and former World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov will be determined to make another deep run at a major but faces a very difficult first-round contest against a player who has had an upper hand in their rivalry.
Coming off a solid 2020 season, when he finished 18-11 with runs to the semifinals in Acapulco and Antwerp and the last eight in Rome and Vienna, Dimitrov began his 2021 season this week at the Murray River Open. He started off well with straight sets win over Andrew Harris and a tough three-set win over Alexei Popyrin, but fell to Corentin Moutet in the quarterfinal.
The World No. 19, a winner of eight ATP titles, which included four in 2017, has been without a title since his ATP Finals win that year.
When it comes to Grand Slams, the 29-year-old Bulgarian reached the final four of the Wimbledon in 2014, the Australian Open in 2017 and the U.S. Open in 2019. He also reached the last eight in Melbourne in 2014 and 2018.
Last year, in Melbourne, he got the better of Juan Ignacia Londero in the first round but went down to American Tommy Paul in a dramatic five-setter, which saw him come back from two sets down to force the decider. Paul, however, saw off the Bulgarian’s late surge, and advanced after wining the fifth set tiebreak.
Dimitrov also reached the fourth round of the French Open last season, before being beaten by Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Known for his shot-making and all-round play, Dimitrov’s best moment at a Grand Slam came two years ago when he defeated Roger Federer in a five-set quarterfinal at the U.S. Open.
The winner of the Demitrov-Cilic match will meet either Slovakian Norbert Gombos or Australian wild card Alex Bolt in the next round.
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Cilic’s Struggles Continue
2018 Australian Open runner-up Marin Cilic has looked out of sorts over the last two years and any hopes of starting 2021 on a bright note faced a setback after he was knocked out by Jeremy Chardy in the first round of the Murray River Open earlier this week.
The World No. 43, who clinched 18 titles between 2008 and 2018, winning at least one each season, has been title-less over the last two years.
The 32-year-old Croat, who has a rare achievement of winning a Grand Slam title in the “Big Three” era, has been a consistent performer in majors. In 2014, he defeated Kei Nishikori in a surprise final at Flushing Meadows to win his maiden Slam. Three years later, he found himself in another major final, this time against Roger Federer at Wimbledon. Cilic, however, struggled with a blister at the bottom of his left foot and was beaten in straight sets.
Next season, Cilic found his way to a third Grand Slam final, this time in Melbourne, but once again he failed to find a way past Federer. The Croat did take it to five but was outclassed by the Swiss in the decider.
Cilic was also a semifinalist at the Australian Open in 2010 and the U.S. Open in 2015, and has made Grand Slam quarterfinals eight times.
Last year in Melbourne, Cilic started with a routine win over German Cedric Marcel-Stebe, and then survived two five-setters against Benoit Paire and Roberto Bautista Agut before falling to Milos Raonic in straight sets in the fourth round.
Later, at the U.S. Open, he reached the third round of the competition before being knocked out by Dominic Thiem, who also beat him at the French Open, winning the first round contest in straight sets.
Cilic will be desperate to recapture his lost form, and a win over Dmitrov will go a long way in boosting his confidence.
Dimitrov v Cilic Prediction and Tip
The only time when Cilic lost a first-round match at the Australian Open was in 2007. Since then the Croatian has made 11 appearances and won at least a match before bowing out. It will take a massive effort for him to keep that streak intact as he runs into a player who has displayed far better form over the last couple of years. This should be a very good contest, with Dimitrov edging past the former finalist.
Tip: Dimitrov to win: 8/13 (bet365)
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The 2021 Australian Open will be played from February 8 to 21. You can watch & bet on the these matches here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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