Career Timeline of Grigor Dimitrov: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Grigor Dimitrov built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Grigor Dimitrov is a Bulgarian professional tennis player, achieving a career-high ranking of world No. 3, the highest for any Bulgarian player. He secured his most significant title at the 2017 ATP Finals. Dimitrov's accomplishments include winning nine ATP Tour singles titles, solidifying his position as a prominent figure in the world of tennis.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1974: Dimitrov Comes Back From Two Sets At Wimbledon Championships Record Was Tied In 1974

At the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Dimitrov came back from two sets to love deficit for the second time in his career, tying the record from 1974.

1990: Dimitrov Comes Back From Two Sets At Wimbledon Championships Record Was Tied In 1990

At the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Dimitrov came back from two sets to love deficit for the second time in his career, tying the record from 1990.

1990: Dimitrov Achieves Milestone as First 1990s-Born Player to Reach 400 Career Wins in 2023

In 2023, Dimitrov became the first male tennis player born in the 1990s to achieve 400 career wins.

1990: Dimitrov Becomes One Of Few Men Born In The 1990s To Record 40 Or More Top 10 Wins

In March 2024 Dimitrov became just the third man born in 1990 or later to record 40 or more Top 10 wins after Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev

1997: Dimitrov Comes Back From Two Sets At Wimbledon Championships Record Was Tied In 1997

At the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Dimitrov came back from two sets to love deficit for the second time in his career, tying the record from 1997.

2006: Won Orange Bowl U16 boys singles

In 2006, Grigor Dimitrov won the Orange Bowl U16 boys singles.

2007: Orange Bowl Finalist and US Open Doubles Final

In 2007, Grigor Dimitrov was a finalist at the Orange Bowl U18 boys singles, losing to Ričardas Berankis. He also reached the US Open doubles final with Vasek Pospisil, but they lost to Jonathan Eysseric and Jérôme Inzerillo.

September 2008: Won US Open and Became Junior World No. 1

In September 2008, Grigor Dimitrov won the US Open boys' singles title on 7 September, defeating Devin Britton. On 8 September 2008, he became the junior world No. 1. After the tournament, he announced the end of his junior career.

2008: Other tournaments and US Open qualification

In 2008, Dimitrov was granted a wildcard to the main draw of the Swedish Open but lost in the first round. He reached the quarterfinals of the Challenger Open Castilla y León but lost to Marcel Granollers. As the 2008 winner of the US Open boys tournament he was granted a wildcard for the US Open qualification tournament.

2008: Junior Grand Slam Titles

In 2008, Grigor Dimitrov achieved significant success in his junior career by winning the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open boys' singles titles consecutively. He also reached the world No. 1 junior ranking that year.

2008: Transition to Men's Events and First ATP Win

In 2008, Grigor Dimitrov began participating in men's events, winning a futures tournament in Barcelona. He then earned his first ATP level win at the Swiss Indoors qualifying draw by defeating Jiří Vaněk.

2008: Davis Cup Debut in 2008

In 2008, at the age of 16, Grigor Dimitrov made his Davis Cup debut for Bulgaria. In front of a home crowd in Plovdiv, Dimitrov had an undefeated record in both singles and doubles, leading to Bulgaria's promotion into the second division of the Europe/Africa zone.

2008: Grand Slam Debut and Injury at Wimbledon

In 2008, during his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon, Grigor Dimitrov won the first set against Igor Kunitsyn but suffered a knee injury, leading to his retirement from the match.

2009: First ATP Tour Main-Draw Win

In 2009, Grigor Dimitrov received a wildcard to the Rotterdam Open and scored an upset victory over Tomáš Berdych, earning his first ATP Tour main-draw win.

2009: Davis Cup Success in 2009

In 2009, Grigor Dimitrov returned to the Bulgarian Davis Cup team. Dimitrov won both his singles matches, contributing to a 3–2 victory over Hungary.

2009: Wimbledon Wildcard Entry

In 2009, Grigor Dimitrov's 2008 Wimbledon victory guaranteed him a wildcard entry into the Wimbledon men's draw.

2012: Behind the Back Drop-Shot in 2012 Swiss Indoors

Grigor Dimitrov hit a behind-the-back drop-shot against Viktor Troicki in the 2012 Swiss Indoors, considered the shot of the year.

2012: Appointed Patrick Mouratoglou as Coach

In 2012, Grigor Dimitrov appointed Patrick Mouratoglou as his coach.

2012: Hopman Cup

In 2012, Grigor Dimitrov competed at the Hopman Cup alongside Tsvetana Pironkova. The Bulgarian team was defeated by the Czech Republic and defeated Denmark. Against USA, Dimitrov beat Mardy Fish.

2012: Olympic Debut in 2012 London

In 2012, Grigor Dimitrov represented Bulgaria at the London Olympics. He won his first-round singles match against Łukasz Kubot but was defeated in the second round by Gilles Simon.

2012: Return to Davis Cup Competition in 2012

In 2012, Grigor Dimitrov returned to Davis Cup competition as a top 100 player. The Bulgarian team won the round-robin tournament held in Sofia, earning promotion to the second division of the Europe/Africa zone.

2012: Shanghai Masters, Swiss Indoors Basel and Paris Masters

In 2012, at the Shanghai Masters, Dimitrov defeated Pablo Andújar before losing to Novak Djokovic. At the Swiss Indoors Basel Dimitrov reached the quarterfinals and at the Paris Masters, he beat Jürgen Melzer. Dimitrov ended 2012 ranked world No. 48 in singles.

2012: Wimbledon Championships, Swedish Open and Suisse Open Gstaad

In 2012, at the Wimbledon Championships, Dimitrov won against Kevin Anderson but retired in the second round due to an injury. He reached the Swedish Open semifinal and the Suisse Open Gstaad semifinal.

October 2013: First ATP Title

In October 2013, Grigor Dimitrov won his first ATP Tour singles title at the Stockholm Open, making him the first Bulgarian man to achieve this milestone.

2013: Confirmed Relationship and First Win Against World No. 1

After the 2013 Madrid Open, Grigor Dimitrov and Maria Sharapova confirmed their relationship. At the tournament, Dimitrov achieved his first win against a world No. 1 player, Novak Djokovic.

2013: Brisbane International and Sydney International

In 2013, at the Brisbane International, Dimitrov reached his first ATP singles final, becoming the first Bulgarian player to do so, but lost to Andy Murray. At the Sydney International, Dimitrov lost in the first round to Fabio Fognini.

2013: Dimitrov Reaches At Least One Masters Event Every Season Since 2013

With making his 19th Masters quarterfinal in Miami, he reached that stage or higher of at least one Masters event every season for 12 years in a row since 2013.

2014: Brisbane International and Kooyong exhibition tournament

In 2014, Grigor Dimitrov participated in the Brisbane International and lost against Marin Čilić in two sets. He also competed in the Kooyong exhibition tournament in Australia, failing to take a single victory.

2014: Reached Wimbledon Semifinals and Top 10 ATP Ranking

In 2014, Grigor Dimitrov reached the Wimbledon semifinals after defeating Andy Murray in the quarterfinals, marking his first Grand Slam semifinal appearance and becoming the first male Bulgarian player to reach this stage. He lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. This performance propelled him into the top 10 of the ATP rankings for the first time, reaching No. 9, a historic achievement for a Bulgarian male tennis player.

2014: Between-the-Leg Shots in 2014 Stockholm Open

In the 2014 Stockholm Open, Grigor Dimitrov hit successive between-the-leg shots off Jack Sock's returns.

March 2015: Defeated Federer at exhibition tournament

On March 10, 2015, Grigor Dimitrov played at an annual exhibition tournament in Madison Square Garden and defeated Roger Federer for the first time in his career.

2015: Participated in Davis Cup and US Open Series

In 2015, Grigor Dimitrov participated in the Davis Cup against Luxembourg, winning all his matches. He also competed in the US Open Series, reaching the third round in Washington. His performance was weak at the US Open, where he lost in the second round.

2015: Davis Cup

In April 2015, Grigor Dimitrov played for the Bulgarian Davis Cup team in the Europe Group II playoffs between Greece and Bulgaria. Bulgaria kept their Europe Group II position for 2015.

2016: Dimitrov Earns First Win Over Top 2 Player Since 2016 at Indian Wells

At the Indian Wells tournament in 2016, Dimitrov defeated world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev after rallying from a set and a double-break down. This victory marked his first win over a top 2 opponent since 2016.

2016: Less Double Faults in 2016

Grigor Dimitrov had less double faults in 2016 compared to 2017, when he made around 40 more.

2016: Second Olympic Appearance in 2016 Rio

In 2016, Grigor Dimitrov made his second Olympic appearance in Rio. He was defeated in the first round of the singles competition by Marin Čilić.

2016: Participated in Summer Olympics and Reached Cincinnati Semifinal

In 2016, Grigor Dimitrov participated in the Summer Olympics but lost in the first round. He also reached the Cincinnati Masters semifinal, securing the second spot in the 2016 US Open Series standings. Following this performance, he returned to the top 30 of the ATP rankings, reaching No. 24.

2016: Split with Coach and Hired New Coach

In 2016, Grigor Dimitrov split with his coach Franco Davín prior to Wimbledon and subsequently hired Daniel Vallverdu as his new coach.

2016: Reached Fourth Round of US Open

In 2016, seeded 22nd, Grigor Dimitrov reached the fourth round of the US Open for the second time in his career, before losing to Andy Murray.

November 2017: Won ATP Finals

In November 2017, Grigor Dimitrov won the ATP Finals, which was the biggest title of his career. This achievement led to him reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 3.

2017: Success in 2017 with Vallverdu's Coaching

Grigor Dimitrov credited Daniel Vallverdu with his improved form during the 2017 season, emphasizing Vallverdu's impact on his mentality and play against top players.

2017: Backhand Displayed at 2017 Australian Open

Grigor Dimitrov displayed his backhand ability more than 50 times alone in his semi-final against Rafael Nadal on the Australian Open 2017.

2017: Significant Milestones in 2017 Season

In 2017, Grigor Dimitrov achieved significant milestones, including his first Masters 1000 title, first ATP Finals crown, 5 Tour finals, four tour titles, eight top-10 match wins, 250 career match wins, cracking $10,000,000 in career earnings, cracking $5,000,000 in a single season, and reaching his second Grand Slam semifinal.

2017: Double Faults in 2017

In 2017, Grigor Dimitrov had issues with double faults, making 254 of them, around 40 more than in 2016, despite it being his best season so far.

2017: Won First ATP Title in Nearly Three Years and Reached Australian Open Semifinals

In 2017, Grigor Dimitrov started the season by winning his first ATP title in nearly three years at Brisbane, defeating Kei Nishikori in the final. He then reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, losing to Rafael Nadal in a close five-set match.

2017: Won ATP Finals

In 2017, Grigor Dimitrov won the biggest title of his career at the ATP Finals, defeating David Goffin in the final. He finished the tournament as an undefeated champion, receiving a prize of $2,549,000 and 1,500 ranking points, ending the year at a career-high world No. 3.

2017: Dimitrov Reaches First Masters Final Since 2017

In 2023, Dimitrov reached his first Masters final since 2017 at the Paris Masters, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.

2017: Dimitrov Secures Fourth Top 10 Win and Reaches Quarterfinals at China Open in 2023, Matching 2017 Season's Total

In 2023, at the China Open, Dimitrov secured his fourth top 10 win of the season, matching his total from the 2017 season, and reached the quarterfinals.

2017: Dimitrov Secures First Title Since 2017

In January 2024, Dimitrov secured his first title since 2017.

2017: Dimitrov Reaches Third Masters Final After Beating Back To Back Top 5 Players

In March 2024 Dimitrov reached his third Masters final defeating back to back top 5 players (last time was in Brisbane 2017)

October 2018: Dimitrov Returns to Highest Ranking Since October 2018 in March 2024

In March 2024, Dimitrov returned to his highest ranking of world No. 12 for the first time since 29 October 2018 when he was ranked at No. 10.

November 2018: Dimitrov Returns to Top 10 Since November 2018

In March 2024, Dimitrov returned for the first time in 260 weeks (3rd longest gap in the Open Era) since November 2018 to the top 10 at world No. 9 in the rankings.

2018: Failed to Defend Cincinnati Masters Title

In 2018, Dimitrov failed to defend his Masters title in Cincinnati after being defeated in the third round by Novak Djokovic. As a result, his ranking dropped to world No. 8. He was then eliminated in the first round at the US Open.

2018: Eliminated in Australian Open Quarterfinal

In 2018, Dimitrov started his campaign in Brisbane and was eliminated in the semi-finals. He then reached the quarter-final of the Australian Open, where he lost to Kyle Edmund in four sets. In the following week Dimitrov stated that he had played the last matches with a shoulder injury.

2018: Dimitrov Advances to Round of 16 at Paris Masters

In 2018, at the Paris Masters, Dimitrov defeated Richard Gasquet and Karen Khachanov to reach the round of 16, where he lost to Alexander Zverev.

2018: Dimitrov Reaches Semifinals at Rotterdam Open for First Time Since 2018

In 2018, at the Rotterdam Open, Dimitrov reached the semifinals for the first time since 2018, eventually losing to Daniil Medvedev. As a result, he returned to the top 25 in the rankings.

2018: Dimitrov Reaches First Final Since 2018

In Geneva, Dimitrov reached his first final since 2018 defeating second seed Taylor Fritz before losing in the final to Nicolás Jarry.

2018: Dimitrov Achieves Highest Ranking Since 2018

In January 2024, Dimitrov reached his highest ranking of No. 13 since 2018.

2019: Victory Over Federer at US Open 2019

Grigor Dimitrov secured one of his eight meetings with Roger Federer at the US Open in 2019.

2019: Reached Last 16 of Australian Open

In January 2019, Grigor Dimitrov reached the last 16 of the Australian Open, but was knocked out by Frances Tiafoe in four sets.

2020: Skipped 2020 Tokyo Olympics

In 2020, Grigor Dimitrov skipped the Tokyo Olympics and registered to play at the ATP 250 tournament in Atlanta but withdrew due to not meeting the minimal qualifications because of non-representation in the Davis Cup.

2020: Dimitrov Reaches Round of 16 at Italian Open For First Time Since 2020

In 2024, Dimitrov reached the round of 16 at the Italian Open for the first time since 2020.

2020: Participated in Inaugural ATP Cup

In January 2020, Grigor Dimitrov captained the Bulgarian team in the inaugural ATP Cup, winning his single matches against Great Britain and Moldova. He also won a doubles match with teammate Alexandar Lazarov against the British team.

September 2021: Dimitrov's ranking drops after US Open retirement

On September 13, 2021, Dimitrov dropped out of the top 25, landing at No. 29, after he could not defend his points from the 2019 US Open semifinal, and retired with a foot injury after losing the first two sets to Alexei Popyrin in the second round.

November 2022: Dimitrov Ends Year Ranked in Top 30 for Tenth Consecutive Year in November 2022

On 21 November 2022, Dimitrov finished the year ranked world No. 28, marking his tenth consecutive year in the top 30.

2022: Dimitrov Reaches Masters Semifinal Since 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters

At Shanghai in 2023, Dimitrov reached his first Masters semifinal since the 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters.

2022: Dimitrov Reaches Quarterfinals in Vienna and Third Round at Paris Masters in 2022

In 2022, Dimitrov reached the quarterfinals at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna after defeating Andrey Rublev and Marcos Giron. At the Rolex Paris Masters, he reached the third round before losing to Carlos Alcaraz.

2022: Dimitrov Reaches 350 Career Wins in 2022

In 2022, at the Delray Beach Open, Dimitrov became only the second man born in the ‘90s or later to reach 350 career wins after Milos Raonic.

April 2023: Dimitrov Drops Out of Top 30 in April 2023

On April 17, 2023, Dimitrov dropped outside of the top 30 in the rankings after losing to Jiří Lehečka in Monte-Carlo, being unable to defend his semifinal points from the previous year.

July 2023: Dimitrov Returns to Top 20 in July 2023

On 24 July 2023, Dimitrov returned to the top 20 in the rankings.

November 2023: Dimitrov Reaches Masters Final and Returns to Top 15 in November 2023

In November 2023, Dimitrov reached his first Masters final since 2017 at the Paris Masters, where he lost to Novak Djokovic. As a result, he returned to the top 15, at world No. 14 on 6 November 2023.

2023: Dimitrov Reaches Third Round at 2023 Australian Open

In 2023, Dimitrov reached the third round at the Australian Open, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.

2023: Dimitrov Records 400th Career Win and Reaches Semifinals at Chengdu Open in 2023

In 2023, Dimitrov recorded his 400th career win at the Chengdu Open, becoming the first man born in 1990 or later to reach that milestone. He also reached the semifinals, losing to Alexander Zverev.

2023: Dimitrov Retires at BNP Paribas Open and Wins Match in Miami in 2023

In 2023, at the BNP Paribas Open, Dimitrov retired in the second round with a right-knee injury. In Miami, he won his second-round match against Jan-Lennard Struff.

2023: Dimitrov Confirmed for 2023 United Cup

In 2023, based on his ranking as the Bulgarian male player No. 1, Dimitrov was confirmed as a participant at the United Cup as part of the Bulgarian team.

January 2024: Dimitrov Wins Ninth Title and Moves to No. 13 in Rankings in January 2024

In January 2024, Dimitrov won his ninth title at Brisbane, defeating Holger Rune in the final. He moved to No. 13 in the singles rankings on 8 January 2024, his highest since 2018.

March 2024: Dimitrov Returns to Highest Ranking Since 2018 and Reaches Miami Open Quarterfinals in March 2024

In March 2024, Dimitrov returned to his highest ranking of world No. 12 for the first time since October 2018 and reached the quarterfinals of the Miami Open, securing his 40th top 10 win.

2024: Dimitrov Comes Back From Two Sets At Wimbledon Championships

At the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Dimitrov came back from two sets to love deficit for the second time in his career, defeating Shang Juncheng to reach the third round.

2024: Dimitrov Plays Longest Match in Tournament History and Reaches Round of 16 at Italian Open in 2024

In 2024, Dimitrov played the longest best-of-three match in Monte-Carlo Masters tournament history and reached the round of 16 at the Italian Open for the first time since 2020, where he lost to Taylor Fritz.

2024: Dimitrov Reaches Second Round at 2024 Australian Open

In 2024, Dimitrov reached the second round at the Australian Open, marking his record 52nd consecutive major appearance, before losing in the third round to Nuno Borges.

2024: Matches and Ranking Drop in 2024

In 2024, Grigor Dimitrov played against Gaël Monfils at Indian Wells, battling a thumb injury, and lost to Carlos Alcaraz. At the Miami Open in 2024, where he was defending runner-up points, Dimitrov reached the quarterfinals and then the semifinals, ultimately losing to Novak Djokovic. Subsequently, he dropped to a ranking of world No. 18.

2024: Achievements and Performance in 2024

In 2024, Grigor Dimitrov was selected for Team Europe at the Laver Cup for the second time. At the Shanghai Masters in 2024, he achieved his 40th win of the season, defeating Alexei Popyrin. He reached the semifinals at the 2024 Stockholm Open and recorded his 100th indoor win. Dimitrov reached his 21st ATP career final and made his 20th Masters quarterfinal at the 2024 Rolex Paris Masters. He also moved ahead of Roger Federer in all-time record wins at the tournament.

2024: Career Grand Slam and Masters 1000 Quarterfinals Set

In 2024, upon reaching the French Open quarterfinals, Grigor Dimitrov completed the career set of reaching the quarterfinals of all Grand Slam tournaments and Masters 1000 events, becoming the second player born in the 1990s to achieve this feat.

2024: Dimitrov Completes Career Set of Grand Slam and Masters 1000 Quarterfinals in 2024

In 2024, with his win over Hubert Hurkacz at the French Open, Dimitrov became the second player born in the 1990s, after Daniil Medvedev, to complete the career set of both Grand Slam and Masters 1000 quarterfinals.

2025: Longest Active Grand Slam Streak Ended

As of the 2025 Wimbledon, Grigor Dimitrov had the longest active streak of consecutive Grand Slam appearances at 58. The streak came to an end when he withdrew from the US Open in 2025.

2025: End of Season and Injury at 2025 Rolex Paris Masters

In 2025, Grigor Dimitrov returned to the ATP Tour at the Rolex Paris Masters. He partnered with Nicolas Mahut in doubles, losing in the first round, marking the end of Mahut’s career. In singles, Dimitrov won his first round match but withdrew from his second round match against Daniil Medvedev due to a shoulder injury, concluding his 2025 season.