Grigor Dimitrov opened up to Bolavip about his own career and about how he sees himself and his role in today’s tennis. The Bulgarian revealed that, one day, his fans might get the extended version of his story in a book.
Dimitrov, who also talked to Bolavip about Novak Djokovic, has had a big career in tennis. He has been ranked as high as world No. 3, won a Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati and lifted the ATP Finals trophy in 2017, and in this interview with Bolavip, he describes his own route into the sport as a genuinely unusual one.
The Bulgarian also reflects on the mark he has left on tennis fans around the world, explaining why being so emotional has been both a strength and a weakness.
Emotional Dimitrov wears his heart on his sleeve
In the Davis Cup tie against Denmark, Holger Rune drew the loudest cheer of the weekend, which was no surprise given that he had been off the court for 11 months. But even with the tie played on Danish soil, it was Dimitrov who, without a doubt, drew the second-loudest reception, and that support means a great deal to a player who has established himself as a fan favorite around the world, not just in Denmark.
Dimitrov at Wimbledon – Getty Images
“You know, the reception I get from the fans all over the world means a lot to me. I am a very emotional person and I don’t shy away from it. I have always worn my heart on my sleeve and that is both one of my biggest strengths but also one of my biggest weaknesses,” Dimitrov told Bolavip.
“The reaction from the fans all over the world shows me that I left a mark in people and I think my goal has always been to be a good person. I want to be a better person every day. This has always been in my roots. My mom raised me that way, even before I started playing tennis.”
Dimitrov, who has spoken publicly in the past about the anxiety and panic attacks he has dealt with during his career, says the full story of how he found his way into tennis may eventually end up in print: “I think I have been able to have a very unique path into this sport. One day I will write a book about it. The older I get, the more fascinating I become, also with the crowd and the other players.”
Dimitrov has never been the type to rush out of an interview – quite the opposite, in fact – and he explains that his relationship with the journalists who cover him matters to him: “Even with people like you who work in the media. Throughout the years it has been very special for me to talk to guys like you, no doubt about that.”
Dimitrov: ‘I still have some years left in me’
The Bulgarian turned 35 in May, but he has no plans to retire any time soon, despite the injuries and the fall down the rankings that currently prevent him from entering the biggest tournaments. He says he is grateful simply to still be out there competing at all.
“I am just super grateful about that and I am trying to stay in the present moment, which is the most important thing for me right now. Of course, I still have some years left in me to play, but for me being able to still do what I do and giving myself that chance is huge for me,” he said.
“Of course, I want to do all this for myself, but more than anything I want to do it for everyone else who has stuck with me throughout this time. I want to do it for the crowd and the kids as well,” added Dimitrov, who missed out on the chance to travel to Asia for the big tournaments there, and who will instead play a run of Challenger events in the hope of rebuilding his ranking.
Dimitrov in Shanghai – Getty Images
‘Running my own race now’
Dimitrov is no longer thinking about Grand Slam titles or the world No. 1 ranking, but that has not made him any less grateful to still be part of the sport. Instead, he talks about entering his own era and running his own race.
“This is really unique. I am in a unique position. I am very gracious about the position I am in,” Dimitrov explained. “I am truly grateful for it. I am very self-aware of how I am developing and how my body is feeling, but the tournaments and traveling are hard of course. I feel like I am just entering my own era now.”
Winning and losing, he says, no longer carries the weight they once did: “It is so humbling to be a part of tennis still and it gives me the confidence to stay happy, regardless if I win or lose. That comes with maturity and getting old. Tennis has made me the person I am today.”
He is clear that the comparisons which once shaped his career no longer apply, and that the freedom to choose his own schedule is a privilege rather than a compromise: “I cannot emphasize enough that I am running my own race now. I feel like I have the privilege to be more selective with the tournaments I am playing,” Dimitrov concluded.
Dimitrov is currently ranked No. 127 in the world, yet it is only a little over a year since he was two sets up on Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon fourth round before a pectoral muscle injury forced Dimitrov to retire. That defeat was the fifth Grand Slam in a row he had been unable to finish, a run of misfortune almost without parallel in the modern game.
Since returning he has lost far more often than he has won, but he did find a measure of form over the summer, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon as a wild card before going out in a deciding-set tie-break to British wild card Arthur Fery, who went on to reach the semifinals and has since become the British No. 1.
