Grigor Dimitrov opened his Australian Open campaign with a 6-3 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 win over Italian Paolo Lorenzi in two hours and 27 minutes. Lorenzi wasted four set points in the tie-break of the second set but Dimitrov managed to fend them off to take the second set with 10-8.
Lorenzi, who won the ATP Challenger in Canberra last week, broke serve in the opening game but Dimitrov broke straight back for 1-1. The first set went on serve until the 8th game when Lorenzi saved the first break point but Dimitrov converted his second break point chance to take a 5-3 lead. Dimitrov, who lost the final in Sydney to Viktor Troicki last Saturday, served out for the set in the next game after 34 minutes.
Both players earned break point opportunities in a tight second set. Lorenzi failed to convert two break point chances, while Dimitrov did not transform his four break points. Both players held their service games in a hard-fought second set which came down to the tie-break with no breaks of serve. Lorenzi got a mini-break and earned two set points at 6-4 but Dimitrov saved them with his serve and his forehand. Lorenzi brought up two more set points at 7-6 and 8-7 but Dimitrov fended them off before clinching the second set on his first set point with 10-8.
Lorenzi went up a break at the start of the third set. Dimitrov saved a break point in the third game before breaking back in the sixth game. From 1-3 down Dimitrov reeled off five consecutive games with another break in the 8th game to serve out for the third set in 44 minutes.
