Madrid, Spain — Canada’s Gabriel Diallo has made headlines by defeating Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov to secure a spot in his first ATP Masters quarterfinal at the Madrid Open on Wednesday.
As the tournament favorite, Dimitrov clinched the first set 7-5. However, Diallo, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser for the third time in four Masters events, displayed remarkable resilience. He fended off two match points, mirroring his tenacity from his victory over China’s Zhang Zhizhen in Indian Wells back in March.
The 23-year-old Diallo saved three match points before sealing the second set tiebreak 9-7 with a powerful ace. Riding on that momentum, he took the third set 6-4 after Dimitrov hit a shot wide.
This victory propels Diallo up 25 spots to a career-high world ranking of No. 53. He stands a chance to climb even higher if he overcomes Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the upcoming semifinals.
Musetti, who has secured a place in the Top 10 for the first time, showcased his clay-court prowess by defeating Australia’s Alex de Minaur in straight sets. The Italian claimed the first set 6-4 and dominated the second 6-2 when de Minaur’s backhand found the net.
At 23, Musetti continues his pursuit of a maiden Masters trophy, having reached his first Masters 1000 final in Monte-Carlo less than three weeks ago. With this latest win, he becomes the sixth Italian man since 1973 to break into the Top 10 rankings.
The upcoming clash between Diallo and Musetti promises to be an exciting matchup as both young talents aim to make their mark on the ATP tour.
