US Open Day 2 Takeaways: Isner saves career, Mmoh stuns Khachanov

US Open second round will be awesome with Dimitrov versus Murray

Guess what happened at Court No. 7? Fans were all about chanting “Dimitrov! Dimitrov!” as they cheered on Grigor Dimitrov’s epic comeback from being down two sets. Dimitrov fought off three match points to finally defeat Alex Molcan in a nail-biting 6-7(9), 6-7(5), 6-1, 7-5, 7-6(9) victory at the US Open.

Dimitrov was pushed to the limit by Molcan in a marathon four-hour, 38-minute showdown. It was a rollercoaster ride as Dimitrov leveled the score from two sets behind and came back from 2-5 down in the final set.

Dimitrov saved his first match point while serving at 4-5, 30-40, and after 10 intense games, managed to level the score. The tension escalated as both players held their ground, leading to a thrilling 10-point match tiebreaker.

Dimitrov initially led 2-0 in the tiebreaker, only to make us laugh by messing up a routine smash, allowing Molcan a quick 4-0 run. A lucky bounce off the tape gave Molcan an advantage, and even a tweener attempt from Dimitrov couldn’t save the situation.

The tiebreaker was tied at 7-7 when Dimitrov had a little mishap, poking a slice backhand into the net and then sending a forehand sailing. Suddenly, Molcan had two more match points at 9-7.

Facing the pressure head-on, Dimitrov saved the second match point with a backhand volley winner. And on the third match point, he amazed everyone with a net attack, hitting a fantastic forehand half-volley winner even to score 9-9. The crowd went wild, chanting, “Let’s Go, Dimitrov!”

Dimitrov’s serve-and-volley tactic earned him a match point, and he seized the opportunity as Molcan made an error. The emotional embrace between the players was heartwarming, capturing the essence of this fierce battle.

Dimitrov nearly doubled Molcan’s winner count (81 to 43), aced 20 times, and won 35 out of 55 trips to the net. It sets the stage for an exciting match against former world No. 1 Andy Murray in the second round.

Speaking of Murray, he showcased his skills with a solid win against Corentin Moutet. Murray triumphed 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 in under two hours. With this win, he became the ninth man to win 200 Grand Slam singles. Not bad, right?

Murray’s been through some tough times. He had to withdraw from the Toronto Open due to an abdominal injury a few weeks ago. Yet it didn’t play a role on Tuesday. His net game was on point. He claimed an impressive 49 out of 71 net points during the match, leaving Moutet in the dust.

Moutet had his moments, like holding two set points in the second set, but Murray wasn’t having it. He converted five out of 25 break-point chances, securing victory with a backhand slice approach.

On a different note, Dimitrov and Murray practiced together before the US Open, but Dimitrov seemed to be nursing a knee issue. The plot thickens as Dani Vallverdu, Murray’s former coach, now supports Dimitrov. This twist adds spice to their upcoming match, their first face-off in nearly seven years. So, get ready for some intense tennis drama!