Grigor Dimitrov credits Serena Williams’ pep talk for his win over Andrey Rublev in the US Open fourth-round

Williams returned to the US Open on August 31 for the first time since the 2022 edition, when she retired from tennis. She was seen at Arthur Ashe Stadium, watching Jannik Sinner’s win over Christopher O’Connell.

For some reason not in front of her. She gave me a good pep talk yesterday. Grigor Dimitrov said in his post-match interview

Williams’s return to the US Open has been refreshing for the tournament overall. Caroline Wozniacki also mentioned the American in her post-match interview and hoped to link up with her in New York.

Grigor Dimitrov reaches second Grand Slam quarterfinal of 2024 at the US Open

Grigor Dimitrov secured a thrilling win over Andrey Rublev in the fourth round of the US Open on Sunday (September 1). The ninth-seeded Bulgarian held his nerve to win 6-3, 7-6(3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3 after three hours and 39 minutes of intense play at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Both players, known for their strong baseline play, gave the crowd some spectacular rallies. Although Rublev hit more winners (47 to 41) and committed fewer unforced errors (59 to 67), Dimitrov managed to elevate his game during critical moments, which made the difference.

Dimitrov showed his resilience by winning six consecutive points from 1-3 down in the second-set tiebreak, giving him a two-set lead. He also managed to hold serve from 15/40 while leading 4-2 in the final set, a key moment in his victory.

Despite Rublev serving strongly in the third and fourth sets, Dimitrov found a way to win, leveling their head-to-head record at 4-4. This victory marked the 2017 World Tour Finals champion’s 450th tour-level win, bringing his season record to 37-13. The 33-year-old, who won his first ATP title since 2017 in Brisbane earlier this year, has been in the Top 10 of the ATP rankings since April, after last being there in 2018.