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Grigor Dimitrov reached the quarter-finals of the US Open for the first time since 2019 with a five-set win over Andrey Rublev, whose temper tantrums threatened to spoil a thrilling match in New York.
Bulgarian Dimitrov won the first two sets before surviving a comeback attempt from his Russian opponent to secure a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3 victory.
The ninth seed, who reached the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows five years ago, will face either Frances Tiafoe or Alexei Popyrin in the quarter-finals.
“I think after the first two sets he started playing amazingly,” Dimitrov said.
“There wasn’t much I could do. I felt like I had to pull back a little bit and wait for the opportunity. I knew I might get a chance eventually in the fourth and fifth games, and that’s what happened in the fifth game.
“I think that was the big difference today, and after that, I ran with the game, but it was very, very tough.”
The win was a reward for the 33-year-old's composure as Rublev's actions once again took centre stage in the early stages of the match.
He required medical attention just five games into the first set after hitting his racket with his hand, and was screaming and complaining of anger repeatedly during the fourth-round match.
He displayed similar behaviour at the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year, and at the Dubai Tennis Championships in March, he was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct after shouting at a line judge.
Rublev was looking to reach the US Open quarter-finals for the fourth time in five years, but it was the third straight time at a Grand Slam tournament that he had failed to reach the eighth round.
In another match, American Taylor Fritz defeated Norwegian Casper Ruud, the eighth seed, with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
The 12th seed will face either German Alexander Zverev or his compatriot Brandon Nakashima in the quarter-finals.
Dimitrov continues to hold on despite Rublev's anger
After a few games, the 26-year-old Rublev's frustrations were already starting to build, with the first signs of his anger emerging when Dimitrov broke his opponent's serve to lead 3-1.
In the next match, the sixth seed's racket hit his shoe and blood poured from his hand after making an error before his opponent broke back.
Rublev called his coach to treat the bleeding wound on his left hand when changing limbs, and he is still suffering from the self-inflicted injury, and he failed to convert three break points in his next game.
As Dimitrov was finishing the opening set, the Russian screamed on the court, causing the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd to fall silent due to his final outburst.
The second set seemed to bring a more relaxed level of play for Rublev. In the opening game, he had his back to the wall on three break points, but he remained focused as he fought to hold serve.
But after squandering two break points in the fourth game, he squandered what should have been a chance to hit a volley to take the lead, and began screaming wildly, his voice rising under the closed roof.
Despite his discomfort, Rublev played well and finally got the break he was looking for to go 5-3 up after Dimitrov collapsed under relentless pressure with a string of double faults.
But Rublev left the match laughing in surprise at his mistakes after he squandered a 30-0 lead when serving to win the first set, allowing his opponent to break him immediately.
The errors then mounted in the tiebreak, with the Russian squandering a 3-1 lead as six consecutive points went Dimitrov's way to seal the set for the Bulgarian.
At this point Rublev's mentality seemed to change, and in the third set, Dimitrov began to wilt and found himself in an awkward position as his calmer opponent tried to come back.
Although Dimitrov showed more resistance in the fourth set, things moved quickly in the same way as he forced Rublev into a deciding set, just as he did against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the second round.
But things turned in the fifth set, as Dimitrov found another level and the number of unforced errors began to rise for Rublev.
He won the match without losing a single point, with Rublev hitting a backhand into the net to give Dimitrov his eighth place in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament.
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