Bulgarian signs that this season can become the player that everybody expects to “explode”. It began in 2017 with a title won in Sydney, where he passed the Japanese Kei Nishikori last act, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. It was the first ATP title on Grigor we win the last 3 years. In 2014 he managed to become the premiere champion in Bucharest, where it was defeated by Czech Lukas Rosol last act, 7-6, 6-1.

This season’s edition of the Australian Open, Dimitrov passed in turn by Christopher O’Connell (ATP 231 – 7-6, 6-3, 6-3), Hyeon Chung (ATP 105 – 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4), Richard Gasquet (ATP 18 – 6-3, 6-2, 6-4), Denis Istomin (ATP 117 – 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-1) and David Goffin (11 ATP – 6-3, 6-2, 6-4)
In Grand Slam tournaments, Grigor had best run at the 2014 Wimbledon, when she reached the semifinals, matched performance this season at the Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal (9 ATP)

Former Melbourne champion, Rafa started very solid tournament with two wins in straight sets, obtained his face Florian Mayer (ATP 49) and Marcos Baghdatis (ATP 36). In round three followed the most difficult test in this tournament. Iberian she met the young and very talented Alexander Zverev (ATP 24), in front of which needed five sets to get qualifications, score 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2. In round 4, to announce a new duel Nadal is difficult, this time in front of Frenchman Gaël Monfils (6 ATP), even though the Spaniard dominated in direct meetings. After the first two sets, won without too many emotions Rafa, 6-3, 6-3 match seemed headed in one direction. Monfils’s ego came out in the 3rd act on that and won the set at 4. 4 franezul led with the score 4-2, but since then ceded four games in a row, missing the chance to push the match into the deciding set.

Brought quarterfinals 3rd in last 4 weeks duel between Raonic and Nadal. Unfortunately for Canadian suffered a slight injury in the first set of parties that did not evolve it to its full potential, being defeated in straight sets 6-4, 7-6, 6-4.

Iberian is a former champion at Melbourne, winning the competition in 2009, when passed in the last act of the possible adversary and rival in the final of this edition, Roger Federer, score 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6 6-2. In 2014 Rafa managed again to qualify in the last act, but gave up in four sets against another player Swiss Stan Wawrinka, who was the first success in a tournament big slam.

This will be the 9th meeting between the two players. The Spaniard is leading his opponent by 7-1 to the number of victories, but the last game was won by the Bulgarian. This was disputed in the previous season finale in Beijing, where Grigor has managed to win in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4 at the end of a disappointing performances from Rafa.