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2 Jul 2026 | 23.26
Grigor Dimitrov has reached the third round of Wimbledon and has stolen our hearts. The former World No. 3 scored his best victory of the season by defeating Jakub Mensik and confirmed that, after a year marked by injuries and doubts, he is once again enjoying tennis on the stage where he suffered one of the hardest blows of his career.
Just twelve months ago, Dimitrov tearfully left Wimbledon after injuring himself while clearly leading his match against Jannik Sinner. That muscle tear completely changed his season and forced him to undergo a long physical and mental recovery. Now, after overcoming one of the most promising players on the circuit, the Bulgarian claims to feel at peace with himself and convinced that he can still compete at the highest level. His next challenge will be to face Matteo Berrettini for a place in the round of 16, but we will talk about this later.
A victory worth much more than a ticket to the third round
"It was a great match, it had everything. The conditions were very challenging, with the sun, the wind, and then the roof closure. There were many changes in dynamics, and I am very happy to have been able to control it and play my best tennis when I really needed it. Jakub is a fantastic competitor, I had played against him before, and I love the way he competes. You can really see how he is improving, and I am sure he will achieve great results in the future."
Another new phase in his career
"Right now, I feel like I am running my own race. Winning or losing is a very fine line, but now I try to draw other things out of myself. I want to improve aspects that maybe I had neglected during my career and surround myself with people who remind me of what is really important. My competition is different now: I know that if I manage to place certain pieces in the right position, my tennis changes completely."
Fear, injuries, and mental strength
"Fear is not a friend. If you want to compete at the highest level, you have to be able to push yourself to the limit. I have suffered minor injuries, major injuries... why would I be here if I wasn't willing to put everything back on the table again? Doubts always creep in, I don't try to hide them or fight against them. I accept them. If you try to repress them, I think it's even worse. It's a daily job, you don't wake up one day and suddenly you are mentally strong."
The influence of David Nalbandian on Dimitrov's tennis
"Before we started working together, we wanted to get to know each other well. I always admired the way he competed; he has managed to awaken things within me that were a bit dormant. He has a very direct but also very humble way of conveying ideas. My game is already quite developed, there are no big secrets. What we are looking for is to be able to execute different things at specific moments and surprise opponents again. If I want to return to the top, I can't just limit myself to trading shots from the baseline."
Wimbledon, the turning point for Grigor Dimitrov
"This week has been healing for me. It has been, without a doubt, the best week of the last twelve months. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to compete here again. Only I know everything I have been through in recent months; now I am in the third round of Wimbledon, my body is responding, and that is all that matters. In this sport, you barely have time to enjoy victories, you have to savor them, rest, and prepare again for the next match. There is still a very long way to go."
This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Dimitrov y la influencia de Nalbandian: "Ha despertado cosas dentro de mí que estaban dormidas"
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