The 11th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov played impressively against top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday night, securing a 6-2, 6-4 victory in the Miami Open quarterfinals. This win marked his first triumph over a top-five player in nearly five years.
Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, who defeated unseeded Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 7-5, is set to face Dimitrov in the semifinals on Friday. In the other semifinal, second-seeded Jannik Sinner will compete against No. 3 Daniil Medvedev, setting up a rematch of last year’s final, which Medvedev won.
Reflecting on his performance against Alcaraz, Dimitrov expressed his focus on the upcoming match, stating, “This is how our sport is. You appreciate it, of course. You’re very happy with the current win. Then you have to quickly move on and start focusing on the next match.”
Despite Alcaraz’s recent victory over Medvedev at Indian Wells, he struggled to find his rhythm against Dimitrov, visibly showing frustration throughout the match. Although Alcaraz fought back after falling behind in the second set, Dimitrov secured the win with a strong finish, breaking Alcaraz in the clincher.
Dimitrov’s victory over Alcaraz marks his first win against a top-five player since defeating then-No. 3 Roger Federer in the quarterfinals of the 2019 U.S. Open.
In the women’s tournament, fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina faced a tough battle against No. 27 Victoria Azarenka, winning 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (2) in the semifinals. Rybakina will now face unseeded Danielle Collins in the final.
Rybakina acknowledged the challenges she faced in reaching the final, expressing surprise at her success due to lack of preparation. She credited her perseverance in battling through tough matches throughout the tournament.
Azarenka put up a strong fight, particularly in the final set, where she broke Rybakina’s serve to level the score. However, Rybakina maintained her composure, clinching the victory in a tiebreaker.
Rybakina, who is aiming for her third title this year, has a perfect record against Azarenka, including two wins in 2024.
Despite Azarenka’s efforts, Rybakina’s resilience proved decisive, securing her spot in the final and preventing Azarenka from becoming the tournament’s oldest winner.
