DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (AP) Fourth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov persevered through a four-hour rain delay and wind gusts greater than 30 mph to defeat Israeli Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-2 and reach the second round of the Delray Beach Open on Monday.
Also advancing was eighth-seeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, a semifinalist here last year, who needed an hour and 31 minutes to dispatch Tunisian Malek Jaziri 1-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Dimitrov, a 24-year-old Bulgarian, was playing in his first ATP tournament since a third-round loss to Roger Federer at the Australian Open last month. He broke for 4-3 in the first set when Sela double faulted.
He won the set when the Israeli, who had saved four set points, netted a forehand approach shot. Dimitrov closed out the match on his second chance when Sela erred on a forehand volley.
