Dimitrov keeps Mannarino in crisis!

This first-round match at Queen's was shaping up to be a duel of opposites. On one side of the court, Adrian Mannarino (ranked 21st) was displaying a rather catastrophic level of confidence (1 win in 10 matches). On the other, Grigor Dimitrov is enjoying a golden season. Winner in Brisbane, then runner-up in Miami, he arrives on grass with a high win total (28).

This match had all the makings of being quite unbalanced, and it was. Back on his best surface, Dimitrov delivered a near-perfect score (28 winners, 4 unforced errors, 11 aces), giving Mannarino no chance (6-1, 6-2 in 1h01). Although he didn't play badly, the Frenchman was unable to hold his own against his opponent (for the 6th time in 6 matches).

Having qualified after barely an hour's play, the Bulgarian seems to be confirming something we already knew: given his level of confidence and his predispositions on grass, he'll be one of the players to keep a particularly close eye on in the coming months. Alcaraz has been warned!

For Mannarino, the situation is really starting to look worrying, and he'll have to pull himself together as quickly as possible if he doesn't want to see his career crumble. In the last 16, Dimitrov will face the winner of the match between Korda (23rd) and Khachanov (22nd).