Stefanos Tsitsipas battles past Grigor Dimitrov at United Cup

SYDNEY: Stefanos Tsitsipas fired his 12th ace on match point to give Greece a 2-0 lead over Bulgaria with a comeback win against Grigor Dimitrov on Thursday at the inaugural United Cup.

The world number four recovered smoothly after losing the opening set to emerge with a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) victory in his season-opening match at Perth ahead of the Australian Open.

Greek teammate Despina Papamichail, ranked 158th, gave her country the opening point as she defeated a cramping Isabella Shinikova, also finishing with a fightback to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Tsitsipas lifted in the final-set tiebreaker against an opponent he has now defeated in six of their seven matches.

"It was extremely close, but I'll take it," he said. "It was a good effort from my side. It was tough playing in the heat -- I'm glad they closed the roof. I had to hang in there and fight, Grigor can compete with the best in the world.

"But I found a little gap and gave myself the chance to do something in the tiebreak." Agencies

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