EXCLUSIVE CHAT with Grigor Dimitrov: "Tennis is ruthless, but I feel I left my mark"

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After more than a decade and a half battling on the professional circuit, Grigor Dimitrov squeezes the last drops of an almost countercultural tennis, of fine strokes, of understanding the court and the game in all its dimensions. At 35 years old, there are few tennis players who thread and structure their game through variety, combining initiative and precision in equal parts. After the unforgettable serious injury he suffered last year against Sinner at Wimbledon, a very special time of the year approaches for him... and what better way than to prepare diligently for the challenge.

This preparation involves the Elm Park Golf & Sports Club, the home of the Dublin Challenger 75, where he is the main and shining star of a tournament that has welcomed his presence as the perfect attraction to draw the local crowd. Tickets sold out in a matter of hours: it is the first professional tournament in Ireland in almost 20 years, a small miracle that values the arrival of the Bulgarian in a special way. Discovering a new place on the circuit, getting practice on the court before the third Grand Slam of the year, and stringing victories against lower-ranked opponents are the reasons why Dimitrov has chosen Dublin... and it's paying off.

Grigor Dimitrov, recalling his match against Sinner at Wimbledon: "What happened in the past stays in the past"

Haskovo's own has already reached the quarterfinals and is the top favorite to conquer the title, which would be the ideal scenario before facing the adventure in London. Being in Dublin allowed us to chat with him, along with a couple more journalists, after his latest victory: it was the perfect moment to inquire about the wildcard granted to him by Wimbledon, his current form... and for Grigor to open up, questioned by Puntodebreak, when reflecting on his journey, the love he receives at each tournament, and the affection shown by the general public.

- Wimbledon gave you a wildcard into the main draw: you will return to the place where you suffered your injury against Sinner last year, does it bring back memories?

"Honestly, I am very grateful. That's it. What happened in the past stays in the past, I don't even consider looking back. I greatly appreciate Wimbledon giving me that wildcard, it means a lot, and it is an honor. It is an honor to be at Wimbledon, imagine doing it from the main draw. Right now, I'm here. I'm focused on everything I have to do, eager to compete. That's it. I have no expectations for Wimbledon."

- Changing surfaces and starting the grass court swing

"I like playing on grass. I've never had a problem changing surfaces. I can adapt a little better and more quickly to grass than other players, and it's a surface I enjoy. Every time I compete on grass is special; in a way, I can already count how many I have left, so I hope to make the most of each one. I go day by day, right now my top priority is taking care of my body and enjoying every time I step onto the court."

How does Dimitrov respond to the love and affection shown by the tennis public?

Grigor's year has been, so far, a rollercoaster. Return to the circuit after a serious injury, with certain doubts still in his body and a tendency to not fully trust being at 100%; carousel of coaches, starting a new partnership with Xavier Malisse, adding David Nalbandian along the way, and eventually replacing the Belgian with Jamie Delgado, his former coach; just two wins throughout the season, struggling to find rhythm and feelings in his game and falling beyond the top-150. Anyone would find reasons for concern, but Grigor faces this slump with optimism and, above all, satisfaction at having made his mark on the circuit.

- How do you assess your season so far? Do you think about your current ranking or is it something you don't pay attention to?

"If you think about it, I feel like I haven't had a season as such. Let's call things by their name. I've played around 12 matches this year and lost like 10. For me, that's not a season. It also doesn't make sense to talk about the ranking. The way our ranking is structured is so unfair that talking about it is pointless. There are simple things: if you win, you have a high ranking. You lose, and you drop in the ranking. There are no secrets. This sport doesn't give you the chance to take shortcuts: we are in a ruthless business."

- The love and affection given to him by the crowd here, in a place that has been without tennis for a long time, and what that support means to him in recent months

"That is what I value the most, the most important thing. I felt it in the past, in the couple of Challengers I have already played. When you're a tennis player, you're always moving around, constantly on the go. You have no time to appreciate wins. You don't have time to dwell on losses. I've been in the circuit for like 17 or 18 years, I don't know how many exactly, and now I look back and realize that maybe I'm in one of the lowest points of my career."

When you have a moment, you reflect on all these years... I feel that I have, in a way, left my mark. My footprint. Perhaps I don't see it fully yet while I compete, but in these moments, whether here, at Wimbledon... when I step onto the court, I feel that respect, that admiration, and above all, that love for this sport. I am grateful if I have been able to contribute to people feeling that love for the sport, in one way or another. I hope to continue doing it for as long as possible. One thing is clear: one day I will truly miss this sport and its fans."

- A piece of advice for mastering grass and adapting your tennis to this surface

"I think you have to be aware of all the variables that you may be able to control, and also those that you may not be able to control on grass. Sometimes it's hard to find the balance, it's difficult to predict if the ball dies when hitting near the line, the chalk makes the ball stop... there are many variables you shouldn't dwell on.

Surely your footwork is your number one priority, the one you should pay the most attention to. You start from there, and then you must focus well on the ball, on the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent, on your own. From there, on every point you try to maximize all of that. There is no secret formula, what works for you may not work for me, but sometimes on grass, you have to let your natural instinct have a more predominant place."

- The level in the Challenger circuit, very high

"I always say that, nowadays, players are much more complete. They are at very different stages of their careers. Anyone nowadays can play incredible tennis. With respect to all: there are many who, for example, have gone to college, and when they enter the professional circuit, they already know how to handle tough and high-pressure situations from the start. They don't need as much experience: that's something I never had. In a way, they are already ahead of most. Everyone progresses in their own way and time, of course."

* Photos: sportnarrative.com / @sport_narrative

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, CHARLA EXCLUSIVA con Grigor Dimitrov: "El tenis es despiadado, pero siento que dejé mi huella"