The 2017 Cincinnati Masters tournament is over. On Sunday Grigor Dimitrov defeated Nick Kyrgios in the tournament final in straight sets 6-3, 7-5. The results bring Dimitrov his first title on tour since winning early this season in Sofia, a home-country tournament for the Bulgarian. Furthermore, Dimitrov has what is his first title at the Masters Series level. He remarked prior to the tournament that he wanted to make the tour finals this season. With the title in Cincinnati and with all the injured players on tour, Dimitrov certainly appears poised to do that.
Cincinnati 2017, the first big title for Dimitrov
The victory at the Cincinnati Masters may be remembered as the tournament where Dimitrov really arrived as a major player on tour. He had made two Grand Slam semifinals in the past, but on each occasion, he fell to a seasoned veteran. But the tournament in Cincinnati itself may be remembered for how lacking it was for major stars. None of Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic, or Stan Wawrinka contested the tournament. That could bring questions in as to whether Dimitrov was simply the player left over at tournament's end or whether he could win such a prestigious event that was better contested.
That question aside, the 1000 ranking points he earned for the title will be his for the next year.
Dimitrov will also have a fair share of confidence for the upcoming 2017 US Open so long as no injury news follows his efforts at the 2017 Cincinnati Masters. He was in the Australian Open semifinals early this season, so he's certainly capable of big results on the hard-court surface in Grand Slams. As for qualifying for the year-end event, Dimitrov is a major figure in the picture.
He will be sixth in the year-to-date standings on Monday, but two players ranked above him are currently sidelined and significantly older, Wawrinka and Federer.
Dimitrov should be a factor at the US Open
Wawrinka is now done for the season, so Dimitrov projects to pass that Swiss player in the year-to-date rankings soon. Federer's absence, one that caused him to miss Cincinnati, is expected to be more short term, however, any cause for missed time is eyebrow raising on tour.
Nadal, Federer, Alexander Zverev, Dimitrov, and a healthy Murray look to be the major players heading into the 2017 US Open. That tournament starts next week with a lower-tiered event in Winston-Salem to be played ahead of the start of Flushing Meadows.
