Dimitrov returns refreshed: "It was good not to play every week"

Fernando Murciego | 27 Oct 2025 | 07.30

Grigor Dimitrov returns to the circuit after three months. Source: Getty

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So much time had passed that some had even forgotten about Grigor Dimitrov, but the Bulgarian was only counting the days for his big comeback to the circuit. It will be this afternoon at 7:00 p.m. at the Masters 1000 in Paris.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard will be the lucky one welcoming Grigor Dimitrov back to the Rolex Paris Masters 2025 this afternoon. We had to wait three months to see the Bulgarian recovered from that dramatic injury he suffered at Wimbledon when he had Jannik Sinner on the ropes. Three months where he could reflect, mature, and adopt a new perspective so that this last stage of his career lacks anxieties and pressures. In an interview with the portal Tennis Sweet Spot, we can hear from the Haskovo native about what it has meant to be sidelined since July.

"It has been a different stage, but it served me well," anticipates the 34-year-old. "Being away from tennis for a while was good for me. Three months have passed since then, but it was an incredible summer. I finally returned home to spend the summer for the first time in 20 years, so I enjoyed it a lot. There isn't much more to say, except that I wasn't paying attention to much, I tried not to do too much. The goal was to disconnect, so it turned out to be a very important phase. After so many years of striving, it was like letting go for a while, but everything turned out well. It's okay to be injured, it's okay not to play every week, but I'm happy to be back," assures the Bulgarian.

"The plan was to return when I was ready. Along with my team and the doctors, we agreed not to set a date. I wasn't even sure if I would be able to make it here, as we aimed to follow each step of the rehabilitation, do everything necessary for things to work out. Now I've returned to practice, and the feeling is that I can compete with others, not just physically, but mentally as well," he explains with the joy of being able to do what he loves again.

"I see myself ready to try again after this break, but it hasn't been easy for me, as the rehabilitation took about four or five weeks, during which I had to stop for another one. I was constantly doing that block of exercises without being sure which week I could return. In the past, I could always be very consistent on the court, not staying out for more than four or five weeks, but now I needed all this time to see that I can go back to playing," points out the current world No. 37.

Dimitrov acknowledges coming back stronger from the injury

Another might have punished himself more for the frustration of retiring at Wimbledon, in a match like that, but not Dimitrov. Not a man with enough experience to understand that life has respected him throughout his career in terms of injuries. This has been one of the most serious ones, so it was time to make a positive assessment and face the future philosophically.

"I was surprised by the strength with which I faced everything; I didn't see it as a negative thing. Of course, you have doubts, many questions, it goes without saying. Saying that everything went well wouldn't be accurate, but that's when I realized that I am capable of facing problems, especially from a mental point of view. Now I can look inside and completely disconnect from sports, which allows you to observe everything from a third-person perspective. I've been able to look at myself without judging, without having those expectations that sports demand, it has been very healthy for me," affirms Grigor, not hiding all the doubts he had.

"Certainly, mentally, it's never easy, even if you feel strong, there will always be moments or places where doubts arise, but to a certain extent. Will I be back at 100%? Will I be able to win some matches before the year ends? You never know any of this, so the most important thing of all is that you can give yourself the chance to do it; this is what I'm focusing on right now," adds the Haskovo native.

Dimitrov admits he even considered retiring

An injury, even if not severe, is always a risky situation, especially when you are already 34 years old. Even more so when it occurs in such an important area like the shoulder, pectoral, and arm. Surely, Dimitrov had a thousand thoughts crossing his mind, as he himself recounts in the interview, although he is the first to admit that all this is normal. Perhaps necessary to come out even stronger.

"It's a delicate matter [...] In such a situation, the shoulder is one of the most used parts by a tennis player, even more in my case for hitting the one-handed backhand, so of course you can think those things. Will I be able to do it again? Well, fortunately, I got a quite quick response, so to speak, within a week. But yes, of course, in moments like that, one can feel fear. It's a completely human feeling, but I overcame it quickly," proudly concludes.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Dimitrov vuelve renovado: “Estuvo bien no jugar cada semana”