Dimitrov tops U.S. Open champion Medvedev
BNP Paribas Open is without its top men’s and women’s seeds after upset.
INDIAN WELLS — Grigor Dimitrov outlasted top-seeded Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 Wednesday in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open, extending the parade of upsets that has knocked out several top players.
Medvedev’s loss left the combined ATP and WTA tournament without its top men’s and women’s seeds. Karolina Pliskova lost in the third round. No. 2 Iga Swiatek went out in the fourth round.
Dimitrov rallied from a set and double-break down to upset Medvedev, the U.S. Open champion who was chasing his fifth title of the year. Dimitrov, seeded 23rd, earned his first win over a top-two player since 2016, when he beat Andy Murray in Miami.
Dimitrov reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells for the first time, where he’ll meet No. 8 Hubert Hurkacz, who beat 19th-seeded Asian Karatsev 6-1, 6-3.
“I always wanted to do well out here,” Dimitrov said. “I felt like I had so many chances throughout the years. I’ve lost very close matches, matches from match points and everything. I was very determined.”
Medvedev, who won the U.S. Open last month, took control from the start, connecting on 80% of his first serves in the opening set. The Russian built a 4-1 lead in the second set before Dimitrov began turning the match around in front of a sparse crowd.
“He definitely flipped the switch,” Medvedev said. “If he plays like this like he did starting from 4-1, he’s going to win the tournament.”
In women’s quarterfinals, former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka beat American Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-2. Azarenka, the 2016 tournament champion, next plays 24th-seeded Jelena Ostapenko.
Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, beat Shelby Rogers 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 on the American’s 29th birthday.