Bulgaria's tennis maestro, Grigor Dimitrov, showcased his prowess on the clay courts of Monte Carlo as he clinched victory in a thrilling playoff against Serbian rival Miomir Kecmanovic. With a scoreline of 6:4, 6:3, Dimitrov secured his berth in the prestigious round of 16 at the Monte Carlo Masters tournament, boasting a staggering prize fund of 5.95 million euros.

The game spanned just over an hour and 25 minutes but unfolded across two days due to a rain interruption on Wednesday evening, with the Bulgarian leading at 6:3, 2:1.

Upon the match's recommencement, Dimitrov realized a crucial break in the eighth game, propelling him to a commanding 5:3 lead. Dimitrov closed out the match with a decisive serve, sealing his triumph in just over an hour and 25 minutes.

The Bulgarian outshone Kecmanovic in key statistical metrics, including points won on second serve, winners, and unforced errors.

With this victory, Grigor Dimitrov has already ensured a prize purse of 80 thousand euros from the tournament's fund and earned 90 points toward his ATP world ranking.

In the upcoming phase, he'll face the winner of the duel between Denmark's Holger Rune and India's Sumit Nagal, with Rune leading 6:3, 2:1 until the match break.