Tennis: Tim at Winston-Salem in the Round of 16

“The most important thing is that Gregor will soon feel good and be fit for the US Open,” said Tim. After his first-round match against American JJ Wolf ended just after midnight, the lower Austrian didn’t sleep until 3.30am, then faced the world number 19. Significant start-up difficulties. “It was hard to get the intensity back straight away—mainly because I haven’t had a situation like this for a long time. But every time I encounter a situation like this again, it will help.”

In the first sentence, there was nothing to indicate Tim’s rise. The 2020 US Open winner scored three break points in the first game, but missed them, while Dimitrov found his match and went away. On the other hand, in Tim, the timing was not appropriate, ten unintended errors were distributed over a 24 minute period. After this period of time, the first set had already ended, and Tim had only scored three points on his own serve. On the other hand, his 31-year-old opponent impressed with a handful of winners and seemed to keep going right away.

Back in the second group

With him trailing 0-1, Tim found serve at the start of the second round and gradually found his game as well, making 1-1 with a winning forehand. Shortly thereafter, the 28-year-old tied his first Ace to 2:2 before Tim could break with his first chance in the second set. Prepared with a long slash, Dimitrov drove into a frontal error. Tim quickly confirmed the break with 4:2 before Demetro took the break from treatment. He returned to the court but shook his head and surrendered.

“The match was a little weird,” said Tim, who cut the standoff with Demetro down to 3:4. “He hit three breaks in the beginning and he didn’t convert, then he rolled me to make it 6-0. In the second set, the intensity was a little better than me. I kept my services well, I played a little better in the second-leg matches.” However, Tim said he would have liked to continue playing in the second set. “Especially because she got a little better in the second set.”

Tim can now collect more match training ahead of the US Open, which begins on Monday. In the round of 16, Draper’s competitor is ranked 55th in the world. He won the second round over Fabio Fognini (Italy) 6:2 4:6 6:1. In the first round, he defeated Tim Wolf 6:7 (7/4) 7:5 7:6 (7/6). With Jürgen Melzer, the Austrian had already won the ATP 250 Championship at Winston-Salem. In 2013, the Lower Austrian celebrated his fifth and final singles victory on the tour.

ATP 250 Championships at Winston-Salem

(US, $823,420, Saab)