Grigor Dimitrov

korriban · Challenger level

Grigor Dimitrov

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

I suspect he is more interested in Maria Sharapova than in tennis at the moment.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

I think we, as tennis fans, are still coming to terms with the trend for players to develop much later than we are used to seeing. Dimitrov may be a slam winner and world number 1 in his late 20s, early 30s. Or he may pop into the top 10 for a quick visit, never to return.

indiana · Tennis legend

I'm a little confused ! Dimitrov had taken his time to really emerge and maybe indeed isn't playing as well as earlier in the year, but this is still easily his best year to date.

He started the year at WR 48, his highest up to then, reached a CH of WR 26 and is still WR 29.

His results don't look that bad in the last few months though losing to Joao Sousa, then WR 95, in R1 of the US Open, his last tournament before this week, wasn't too clever.

Still only 22, so not too bad, and Maria could indeed be a slight distraction LOL.

Bit of a non story to me, but hey have fun...

indiana · Tennis legend

I realise that tennis players, who seemingly lack the unstinting dedication and focus of Kyle Edmunds, and are not tucked into bed by 10pm each night if possible, seem to be fair game, but...

RJA · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:
I'm a little confused ! Dimitrov had taken his time to really emerge and maybe indeed isn't playing as well as earlier in the year, but this is still easily his best year to date.

Maybe his best year to date but no where what he is capable of. The guy really should be top 10 already, he certainly has the talent. He has played two outstanding matches this year, pushing Nadal to a close 3 sets in Monte Carlo and beating Djokovic in Madrid. Unfortunately for him some of his matches have been at the opposite end of the scale and he has been woeful in the Grand Slams.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
indiana wrote:
I'm a little confused ! Dimitrov had taken his time to really emerge and maybe indeed isn't playing as well as earlier in the year, but this is still easily his best year to date.
Maybe his best year to date but no where what he is capable of. The guy really should be top 10 already, he certainly has the talent. He has played two outstanding matches this year, pushing Nadal to a close 3 sets in Monte Carlo and beating Djokovic in Madrid. Unfortunately for him some of his matches have been at the opposite end of the scale and he has been woeful in the Grand Slams.

And what a match that was. I was fortunate enough to be there and Dimitrov is certainly an outstanding talent.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

When he is good he is very, very good and when he is bad. . .

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

korriban wrote:
Don't know if anyone picked this up earlier in the week, but Grigor has parted ways with his new coaching set up, the "Good to Great Academy" in Sweden.
The impact seemed to be immediate - he apparently practiced in the gloom and long nights of Scandinavia all through last year's off season (presumably indoors though), and started 2013 like a train.
But it's all gone completely wrong again in the last few months and he seems to have gone back to the enigmatic super-talented but frustrating player of the last few years. Grooved winning patterns of play and step change strength and endurance were the areas the Swedes focussed on (and look what happened), but despite his highly marketable looks (according to my 15 year old daughter), massive following among the tennis pundits and lots of WCs from big tournaments around the world, there remain continual rumours that he is far too easily distracted, doesn't work hard enough on his game and his conditioning, and finds it hard to stick to boring routines.
I bring this up in the context of some of the debates we have around some of our most talented players, where there are question marks (or in some cases admissions) about their commitment to hard work and training - the likes of Laura, Dan Evans, Marcus, etc. With respect to them, Mr Dimitrov has had much more hype as a future #1 and is probably on a different level in terms of talent/potential - but is now getting to an age where people should rightly start asking....."what an earth are you doing".
I love his play, but I think we should all watch his progress/lack of progress with interest.

I agree with you Korriban. It might well have been his best year to date but I do think he has gone off the boil a bit - certainly since the French Open and since he started to garner more attention as Maria Sharapova's boyfriend and as a potential number one. Coincidence? Felling the pressure a bit? Lack of Motivation?

johnnylad · Tennis legend

ATP champion

indiana · Tennis legend

Ah, not doing too badly again LOL

And, as I made it clear above, I didn't really see that he was doing badly anyway.

steven · Tennis legend

Oh good, now the excessive hype can start all over again

indiana · Tennis legend

Hey don't include me ( not that I assume you were ! )

I have never given him excess hype, but I did think korriban ( seemingly shared by one or two others ) had an unreasonable excess downer on his last few months.

Just let the guy develop.

steven · Tennis legend

Don't worry, I haven't noticed anyone on here unduly hyping him

freerider · Futures level

Shhh wrote:
freerider wrote:
pointless little fact that I just noticed about Grigor, his ranking currently matches his age (22).
No chance of making the top 10 then!

haha, nope. It's all downhill from here!

Although I wouldn't be complaining if a british player managed to stay consistently in the 20-30 range for ten years!

-- Edited by freerider on Saturday 26th of October 2013 08:44:11 AM