2021 Australian Open Third Round – Grigor Dimitrov vs Pablo Carreno Busta Preview & Prediction

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THE FACTS

Where is Grigor Dimitrov vs Pablo Carreno Busta taking place? Melbourne Park, Melbourne

When is Grigor Dimitrov vs Pablo Carreno Busta on and what time does it start? Friday 12^th February, 2021 – not before 02:45 (UK)

Where can I get tickets for Grigor Dimitrov vs Pablo Carreno Busta? Click here to reach the official 2021 Australian Open ticket selection

What channel is Grigor Dimitrov vs Pablo Carreno Busta on? The 2021 Australian Open will be televised on Eurosport so it is worth checking their schedule for this specific match

Where can I stream Grigor Dimitrov vs Pablo Carreno Busta in the UK? Sky customers can stream this match on the Sky Go app. Alternatively, the match can be streamed to subscribers of Eurosport Player, either on the official website or as an add-on to an Amazon Prime subscription

THE LOWDOWN

GRIGOR DIMITROV

• World number 19 Grigor Dimitrov was challenged well by Australia’s Alex Bolt to force a first-set tiebreak but the Bulgarian came through to comfortably win the next two.
• 29-year-old Dimitrov shares a 3-3 head-to-head record with is next opponent, Pablo Carreno Busta, but the pair have not played each other since the summer of 2018.

PABLO CARRENO BUSTA

• 15^th-seed Pablo Carreno Busta has not had an easy time of it so far in the Australian Open draw, coming through to stern tests against Kei Nishikori and an in-form Jiri Vesely to make the third round.
• Carreno Busta enjoyed his best year in Grand Slams last season, reaching the semi-finals of the US Open and quarter-finals at Roland-Garros, requiring top 10 players to knock him out.

THE PREDICTION

The seventh career meeting between Grigor Dimitrov and Pablo Carreno Busta should be an entertaining watch between two players well capable of going through the motions in a five-set match. Pablo Carreno Busta won the only Grand Slam meeting between the pair before now with a straight-sets victory at the 2017 Roland-Garros but both players are different versions of themselves in 2021 and this could go the distance. Both can switch off at times over the mental marathon of five sets and that should see both players take a set here before someone scrapes through. On the face of it, PCB should be the one to reach the round of 16 here but it could be worth just opting for sets apiece in this one as the result could really go either way.