Dimitrov Closes In On Istanbul Final

Grigor Dimitrov is one match win away from reaching his eighth ATP World Tour final, having advanced to the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open semi-finals for the second year running.

Second seed Dimitrov recovered to beat sixth seed Jiri Vesely 7-6(1), 6-1 in 77 minutes on Friday. Dimitrov fought back from a 2-5 deficit in the first set and saved one set point at 4-5, when Vesely was serving at 40/30.

“With each match, I’m building up a good foundation to play better,” Dimitrov said. “Tomorrow I am going to keep doing that.”

He awaits third seed Ivo Karlovic, who recorded the 301st match win of his career 7-6(2), 6-7(5), 6-4 against fifth seed Marcel Granollers. Karlovic struck 20 aces and was not broken in the two-hour, 13-minute encounter.

Fourth seed Federico Delbonis will meet fellow Argentine Diego Schwartzman for a place in Sunday’s final. “We know each other very well and we know what one another will do,” said Delbonis. “I’m happy to be in the semi-finals.”

Delbonis maintained his recent run of form by beating eighth seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(6), 6-4 in one hour and 56 minutes, having saved one set point at 5/6 in the first set tie-break. This month’s Marrakech champion (d. Coric) is now 19-9 on the year.

Schwartzman advanced to the semi-finals for the second successive year after he battled past Damir Dzumhur 5-7, 7-6(4), 7-2 in two hours and 48 minutes. Schwartzman beat top seed Bernard Tomic in the second round.