Dimitrov had to retire due to injury during the pair's last meeting
This round of 64 match at the Italian Open in Rome will pit the 15th-ranked Grigor Dimitrov against Italy’s very own Francesco Passaro.
Undoubtedly, the Italian is sure to receive tremendous support from the crowd today, but will that be enough against the higher-ranked Dimitrov is the question at hand.
Dimitrov started the year with injury problems, which caused him to retire in the final of the Brisbane International, where he was the defending Champion. Carrying the hip injury at the Australian Open, the Bulgarian once again had to retire in the first round. Since Indian Wells, however, Dimitrov has struck some form, making it to the semis in Miami, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.
Passaro, who is ranked 101 currently, has very little experience of playing main draw matches at the highest level. With just 3 matches at the top level on tour this year, the Italian could find it tricky to get past Dimitrov today.
Dimitrov and Passaro have faced each other only once thus far. Their first meeting came in the first round of this year’s Australian Open, where the Bulgarian was forced to retire in the second set due to a hip injury.
| Year | Event | Round | Winner | Score |
| 2025 | Australian Open | Round of 128 | Francesco Passaro | 7-5, 2-1 (RET) |
Having had to retire in Brisbane, @GrigorDimitrov is forced to do the same in Melbourne.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 13, 2025
Tough luck, Grigor. We're hoping for a speedy recovery and wish you well for the remainder of the season.
Francesco Passaro progresses 7-5 2-1#AO2025 pic.twitter.com/RpDd862HVd
Dimitrov, who is currently ranked number 15 in the World, was ranked as high as number 3 in 2017. Having turned pro in 2008, he is a veteran with 9 titles, whereas Passaro is still looking to make his mark on the tour.
| Grigor Dimitrov | Category | Francesco Passaro |
| 15 | Ranking | 101 |
| 473-299 | Career W-L | 7-14 |
| 14-8 | YTD W-L | 1-2 |
| 9 | Career Titles | 0 |
| 0 | Grand Slams | 0 |
| 0 | YTD Titles | 0 |
This match between Dimitrov and Passaro could be interesting since the last time they met, Dimitrov was not 100% healthy and had to retire midway through the contest. Therefore, both players will be finding on-court solutions on how to win.
Moreover, expect the Italian crowd to get fully behind their man. If, however, Dimitrov gets into his flow, he should have a comfortable time out on court.
Match Prediction: Dimitrov in straight sets
Grigor Dimitrov: 1/4
Francesco Passaro: 3/1
Betting odds taken from BETMGM UK.
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