In the longest match of the tournament so far, Marton Fucsovics outlasted Grigor Dimitrov 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 after four hours and 50 minutes at the U.S. Open on Thursday afternoon.
Dimitrov’s physical state has been in question ever since he battled a case of Covid-19 earlier this summer. Nonetheless, the Bulgarian did well to go toe-to-toe with Fucsovics for more than four hours in just the first four sets alone. In the end, though, the Austrian had more left in the tank for the decisive fifth set.
Fucsovics, who also beat Dimitrov at last week’s Cincinnati Masters in a final set, won’t be the only one in his upcoming third-round match coming off a five-setter. Frances Tiafoe, his opponent on Saturday, earned the first five-set win of his career by overcoming John Millman 7-6(6), 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in three hours and 57 minutes.
Tiafoe had lost 14 final sets in a row and this marks the first time he has ever won in five sets.
“Marton is a good guy,” the 22-year-old American said. “Hell of a player. I think he’s one of the most underrated guys on the tour, to be honest. He can go crazy. He’s got feel, he’s got a good serve, he’s got movement. He puts guys in uncomfortable situations…. The guy just went crazy for five hours against Grigor. That’s tough; Grigor is always a tough out.
“So I’m just happy to get a chance to play. It’s a big match for both of us. It will definitely skyrocket both of us to back to where we were (in the rankings) and higher. But I’m going to have to show up. I can’t be having too many dips. I think I’ve got to be able to play at a high level and sustain it.”
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nice one, Foe