Head-to-head history
This will be the fifth meeting all-time between Tiafoe and Dimitrov. The Bulgarian has the clear upper hand, winning three of their four matches. Dimitrov eliminated Tiafoe in the Round of 32 at 2023 Wimbledon. Prior to that, the two didn’t face off for four years. Tiafoe’s lone victory against Dimitrov was at the 2019 Australian Open.
Tiafoe making up for tough season
The 2024 season has not been kind to Tiafoe, going just 24-19 leading up to the US Open and failing to win a single title. However, the Cincinnati Open was clearly a glimpse into what version of Tiafoe we’d get in New York. The Washington, DC native lost to Jannik Sinner in the final in Ohio and has carried that momentum into the final Grand Slam of the year.
Tiafoe, the No. 20 ranked player in the world, beat Aleksandar Kovacevic, Ben Shelton, Alexander Svechenko, and Popyrin en route to the quarters. The match against Popyrin was a battle, the same player who knocked out Djokovic. Tiafoe took advantage of Popyrin’s double-fault issues and will now play in the quarterfinals of the US Open for the third straight year.
The 26-year-old has now won nine of his last 10 matches since the beginning of the Cincinnati Open and has a clear opportunity to capture his first Major title with the two big guns already out. Tiafoe may not have the best record against Dimitrov, but he won’t be lacking motivation to perform on home soil. Tiafoe is a small underdog at tennis betting sites.
Dimitrov is no pushover
While Dimitrov may not have a Grand Slam title to his name, he’s been one of the more consistent players on the Tour for many years. The 33-year-old is ranked No. 9 in the world and has enjoyed an impressive campaign, compiling a 33-13 record prior to New York while winning a title in Brisbane just before the Aussie Open.
Dimitrov has shown well in the Grand Slams, too. He made the quarterfinals at the French Open and the Round of 16 at Wimbledon. His best finish at the US Open was advancing to the semis in 2019. As for the current edition, Dimitrov has beaten some tough opponents leading up to the quarterfinals, including Tallon Griekspoor and Rublev. Dimitrov won the first two sets against the Russian before he roared back with two sets of his own. Dimitrov ultimately won the fifth, 6-3.
The Bulgarian showed resilience to bounce back after dropping two sets to Rublev and will need to bring his best against Tiafoe, who will have the home crowd on his side. Just like Tiafoe, this is an opportunity for Dimitrov to do the unthinkable and lift a Major trophy. He’s a -155 favorite at Sports Interaction.
