Grigor Dimitrov gave the home fans a thrill on Sunday by claiming the Garanti Koza Sofia Open title with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Belgian David Goffin in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The triumph was the world No. 13 Dimitrov's sixth ATP Tour title and second this season, having begun the campaign by winning the Brisbane International.
Dimitrov outlasted the second-seeded Goffin in the first set before winning the first five games of the second. The 25-year-old Bulgarian was broken twice by the world No. 11 Goffin before collecting himself and making good on his fourth championship point.
Dimitrov promptly fell to his knees and began to cry while kissing the court. He quickly sought out his mother and father for an embrace.
"Without you (the Bulgarian fans), I could never win this tournament," Dimitrov said in a courtside interview.
"This title means a lot to me. Today, after the last point, I felt again like a kid playing in front of a home crowd."
The championship match was a rematch of last month's Australian Open quarterfinal, in which Dimitrov emerged victorious with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 decision.
The 26-year-old Goffin, who was denied in his bid for a third career title and first since 2014, advanced to the final after outlasting defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut on Saturday.
