SHANGHAI: Grigor Dimitrov said he was playing some of the best tennis in his career as he marched into the Shanghai Masters semi-finals on Friday and a clash with Andrey Rublev.
The 18th seed from Bulgaria did not face a single break point in defeating big-serving Nicolas Jarry of Chile 7-6 , 6-4 in their quarter-final.The 32-year-old Dimitrov, whose last ATP title was six years ago, faces Rublev in the last four after the Russian swept past France’s Ugo Humbert 6-2, 6-3 in 90 minutes.
Asked if he was playing his best since 2017, when he won four titles including the season-ending ATP Finals, Dimitrov replied: “I think one of the best seasons, absolutely, no doubt about that.”A philosophical Dimitrov has been in China for a month, having also reached the semi-finals in Chengdu and quarter-finals at the China Open in Beijing.
Rublev is two victories away from a second Masters title of the season, having clinched the Monte Carlo crown in April.