DUBAI: Top seed Grigor Dimitrov feels he cannot afford to ease into the Dubai Championships when he faces top Arab player Malek Jaziri on Tuesday.
Dimitrov has been pitched against Malek Jaziri for the first time in his career in the round of 32 tie at the Aviation Club and knows he cannot expect an easy ride from the world No. 109.
“For sure I need to be ready,” said Dimitrov, the Australian Open quarterfinalist. “Every opponent you play, you cannot underestimate. Anyone here can come out and play unbelievable. Maybe it’s their day. On any given day they can just produce a different tennis. In a way, players have nothing to lose when they play against a higher seed. They’re a bit more loose, a bit more freely swinging. All these things are adding up to the occasion. That’s why I think you have to be ready. You should never underestimate an opponent you play.”
Jaziri is a tricky customer. He reached a career-high ranking of 47 last year and won gold at the Pan Arab Games in 2011. He reached the quarterfinals in Dubai four years ago and pushed Andy Murray in the first set of last year’s tournament before going down 6-4, 6-1. The 34-year-old will be seeking to perhaps take advantage of the fact Dimitrov has been under the weather. He is still hoarse from the virus which left him out of energy as Roger Federer dominated last week’s final in Rotterdam.
“I’m getting out there,” said Dimitrov. “It’s still been a little up and down. I came here a little bit earlier to acclimatize to the conditions. I’m still talking a little nosey here, but I’m better, overall better. Pretty much been practicing every single day. That helps me just push through days. Hopefully with each day, I’m going to be better and better.”
The world No. 4 heads the field in Dubai as Federer is absent. Federer, a seven-time winner of the event, will concentrate on his March title defenses at Indian Wells and Miami and will not make the trip this month to his winter training base in the Gulf.
“I think always these kind of draws are creating very big opportunities for everyone to do their best, to do better, to push themselves more,” said Dimitrov. “One of the most important things for me has been to really focus on myself, to start to build up again. My goal is to be better with each match. This is what I did the last week, the week before. I feel like this is the key that I really need to focus on.”
Top Arab player Malek Jaziri set to face Grigor Dimitrov in Dubai
Top Arab player Malek Jaziri set to face Grigor Dimitrov in Dubai
Inter continue Scudetto march after Champions League humbling
- Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan bounced back from Champions League elimination with Saturday’s 2-0 win over Genoa which continued their march toward the Serie A title.
Federico Dimarco’s brilliant volley just after the half-hour mark and Hakan Calhanoglu’s second-half penalty were enough for Inter to extend their already huge lead over AC Milan at the top of the table to 13 points.
Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto.
Inter, whose fans unloaded a collection of anti-Milan chants in anticipation of the derby, have dropped just two points in 15 league matches and have been a cut above the rest in Italy’s top flight this season.
Their domestic dominance comes in stark contrast to the humiliating manner in which they were dumped out of the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night.
A 5-2 aggregate defeat to the Norwegian minnows cast doubts over not just the quality of Cristian Chivu’s team but of Italian football as a whole.
There was plenty of quality in Dimarco’s opener however, the Italy full-back beautifully placing a first-time finish from a tight angle after exchanging passes with Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Little else happened in a humdrum encounter until Alex Amorim handled a cross from Luis Henrique, whose shot had been tipped onto the post just moments before.
Calhanoglu calmly stroked home the spot-kick on his return to action following niggling muscle problems which have caused him issues since before Christmas, sealing the points for Inter.
Big Rom back
Romelu Lukaku kept Napoli on course for a Champions League spot with a last-gasp winner in the champions’ 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Verona, the Belgium forward’s first goal of the season.
Lukaku forced home Giovane’s cross to snatch the win for third-placed Napoli with the last kick of the game at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.
Napoli had looked like dropping points in northern Italy when Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro levelled Rasmus Hojlund’s early opener in the 65th minute.
But Lukaku, who only played his first game of the season in late January, gave Napoli a huge win with both Como and Atalanta pushing for a top-four placing.
“I was a dead player before coming here,” said Lukaku to DAZN.
“This season has been difficult, but we’ve got to aim high.”
Napoli’s title defense is all but over as they trail Inter by 14 points after an injury-ravaged season.
Napoli were missing key midfielders Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Anguissa on Saturday, as well as captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Verona, under interim coach Paolo Sammarco following the sacking of Paolo Zanetti earlier this month, are 10 points from safety after a 12th straight match without a win.
Como, who face Inter in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday, strolled to 3-1 victory over strugglers Lecce to continue their push for a first-ever qualification for European football.
Cesc Fabregas’s team are two points behind Roma, in fourth and Juventus’ opponents on Sunday, and five behind Napoli.
Como are also two points ahead of sixth-placed Juve who face Roma trying to stay in touch with the Champions League places after being eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition by Galatasaray on Wednesday.
