Grigor Dimitrov has already played a doubles match in Montreal, but this will be his first singles match since tearing his abductor at Wimbledon. The Bulgarian has spent a lot of time practicing to get himself ready for this, but it could take some time for him to settle in during a match, and find his pre-injury level. That’s why I like the idea of backing Rinky Hijikata to win a set in their second-round contest at the National Bank Open.
Dimitrov is 32-12 since the start of the 2024 season, giving him the highest winning percentage (72.7%) he has had since 2014. That’s why he's as high as -700 on the moneyline here. Dimitrov was playing some lights-out tennis before the injury, as he was serving at an elite level and he was consistently dictating play from the baseline. But I don’t think he’s going to be able to quickly turn it on after having spent about a month off the court. And that’s especially true with him having to transition from grass to hard courts.
