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Grigor Dimitrov splashes out against Kei Nishikori at Italian Open

By Harry Floyd

ROME, ITALY - MAY 16: Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria serves in his match against Kei Nishikori of Japan during day 4 of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2018 tennis at Foro Italico on May 16, 2018 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
ROME, ITALY - MAY 16: Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria serves in his match against Kei Nishikori of Japan during day 4 of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2018 tennis at Foro Italico on May 16, 2018 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) /
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Bulgarian tennis star Grigor Dimitrov is out early at the 2018 Italian Open. He falls to Japanese great Kei Nishikori in Rome.

Grigor Dimitrov came into Rome at the third seed in men’s singles at the 2018 Italian Open. He is the current ATP Finals champion, winning in London at the end of last year. Dimitrov has burst onto the scene as one of several rising stars in men’s singles tennis. He falls, however, to Japanese tennis great Kei Nishikori in an unfortunate early round match.

Nishikori tops the Italian Open third seed 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4.

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Dimitrov found himself up against a tough opponent in Nishikori this week. While he would normally be considered a heavy favorite in an early round meeting, Nishikori is not your typical underdog. The Japanese tennis star is continuing his return from injury. Like several other top players in men’s singles tennis, Nishikori has slid in the rankings due to injury. His ongoing injury issues have held him back from jumping right back into his normal self.

Nishikori has gone as high as the world No. 4 ranking in men’s singles and is the current world No. 24 on the ATP World Tour. His recent runner-up finish to Rafael Nadal at the Monte-Carlo Masters jumped him leaps and bounds in the singles rankings. The Japanese great is surging yet again on tour.

Grigor Dimitrov needs to find his rhythm before Roland Garros. Action at the Grand Slam is right around the corner.

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With the French Open right around the corner, Grigor Dimitrov and others are vying for any and all momentum they can gather. It is Nishikori who advances between the two this week though. He faces Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber next in Rome. The Italian Open is featuring some of the best of the ATP World Tour. Nadal, Marin Cilic, Alexandre Zverev, and others all remain alive this week. The action is sure to deliver a fantastic finals in Rome. Stay tuned to see if Dimitrov can bounce back in the coming weeks.

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