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Grigor Dimitrov: chances at 2018 Monte-Carlo Masters

By Harry Floyd

KEY BISCAYNE, FL - MARCH 25: Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria plays a forehand against Jeremy Chardy of France in their third round match during the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 25, 2018 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
KEY BISCAYNE, FL - MARCH 25: Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria plays a forehand against Jeremy Chardy of France in their third round match during the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Crandon Park Tennis Center on March 25, 2018 in Key Biscayne, Florida. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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Bulgarian tennis star Grigor Dimitrov enters the 2018 Monte-Carlo Masters as the tournament’s fourth seed. Here’s a look at his chances.

Coming into play at the 2018 Monte-Carlo Masters as the world No. 5 in men’s singles tennis, Grigor Dimitrov is a top contender for the title. The favorite, of course, is Rafael Nadal. This is even despite Nadal’s recent struggles due to injury. The Spanish great enters as the top seed and a ten-time champion at the event. The only players to win titles at Monte-Carlo since Nadal earned his first back in 2005 are Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka.

Dimitrov looks to defy the odds of recent history and make a deep run at the Masters 1000 event. He squares off against Pierre-Hugues Herbert first at Monte-Carlo.

Entering play this week, the Bulgarian tennis star is 11-6 in his singles matches on the 2018 ATP World Tour. He and others such as Alexander Zverev have swapped places in the singles rankings over recent months. To cap off a stellar 2017, Dimitrov won the end of year finals in London. Now, he is easily considered one of the rising stars in the sport. 2018 could be the year that he takes his game to the next level. Last year, Dimitrov won his first career Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati. A win in Monte-Carlo could do wonders do boost his profile on the ATP World Tour.

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Rafael Nadal comes into Monte-Carlo with ten titles and the top seeding. Players such as Grigor Dimitrov will need to be at their very best.

The factors in Dimitrov’s favor include a solid amount of competitive play under his belt this year, veteran stars continuing to return from lingering injuries, and Dimitrov’s proven ability to compete at big tournaments. Djokovic is already off to a solid start, winning his opener in straight sets. Even if the veteran greats don’t make deep runs though, the Bulgarian star will need to compete with the likes of Zverev, Dominic Thiem, and David Goffin among others. Stay tuned to see if Grigor Dimitrov can rise to the occasion and make yet another deep run at a Masters 1000 event.

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