INTERESTING; Grigor Dimitrov Has Reassure Bulgarians Of His Commitment To Making Them Proud. He Said

In the round of 64 at the Italian Open in Rome, World No. 15 Grigor Dimitrov will take on local favorite Francesco Passaro. With the home crowd firmly behind him, Passaro will enjoy strong support—but whether that will be enough to overcome the more experienced and higher-ranked Dimitrov remains to be seen.

Dimitrov’s 2024 season got off to a rocky start due to injury. After retiring from the final of the Brisbane International—where he was the defending champion—he was again forced to withdraw during his opening match at the Australian Open, struggling with a lingering hip issue. However, the Bulgarian has found better form in recent months, highlighted by a semifinal run at the Miami Open, where he was ultimately defeated by Novak Djokovic.

Passaro, currently ranked 101st in the world, is still finding his footing on the ATP Tour. With only three main draw matches under his belt this year, the 23-year-old Italian faces a steep challenge against Dimitrov’s experience and recent resurgence.

Head-to-Head: Dimitrov vs. Passaro

These two have met only once before, at the 2024 Australian Open. That encounter ended prematurely when Dimitrov was forced to retire in the second set due to the same hip injury that had hampered his start to the season.