The Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, 14th player in the world, won his first title since 2017 on Sunday by dominating the Dane Holger Rune (8th) in the final of the ATP 250 tournament in Brisbane 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.
Dimitrov, 32 years old and seeded N.2, beat the 20-year-old Dane (N.1) in a very close match. After a very good end to the 2023 season, the Bulgarian begins 2024 with the 9th title of his career.
After winning four trophies in 2017, including the end-of-year Masters, the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati and, already, the Brisbane tournament, Dimitrov was no longer crowned.
In 2018, he only reached the final in Rotterdam, then nothing until the end of last season. He was then a semi-finalist at the Shanghai Masters 1000 then a finalist at the Paris Masters - defeated by Novak Djokovic.
In a tight match between two players of similar skill level, Dimitrov seized the few chances that came his way to win a hard-fought tie-break, then break Rune at 3-3 in the second set.
He held on to win a high-quality final, winning the match with a backhand volley. A good omen one week before the Australian Open, where he was a semi-finalist during his great year 2017.