Challenges Faced by Grigor Dimitrov: Obstacles and Turning Points

Life is full of challenges, and Grigor Dimitrov faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Grigor Dimitrov is a highly accomplished Bulgarian professional tennis player. His career-high ranking is world No. 3, the highest ever achieved by a Bulgarian player. Dimitrov's most significant victory came at the 2017 ATP Finals. He has secured nine ATP Tour singles titles throughout his career.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

2008: Wimbledon Debut and Injury

At his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon in 2008, Grigor Dimitrov retired due to a knee injury during his first-round match against Igor Kunitsyn, despite winning the first set.

2012: 2012 Wimbledon Championships

At the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, Dimitrov won his first-round match against Kevin Anderson but retired in the second round due to an injury.

2016: Double Faults Comparison

In 2016, Grigor Dimitrov made approximately 40 fewer double faults compared to 2017.

2016: Olympic Appearance in Rio

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

2017: Double Fault Problem

In 2017, Grigor Dimitrov had a notable problem with double faults, making 254 of them, which was approximately 40 more than in 2016, despite having his best season so far.

2018: Ranking Dropped to World No. 8

In 2018, Grigor Dimitrov failed to defend his Masters title in Cincinnati and was eliminated in the first round of the US Open, causing his ranking to drop to world No. 8.

2018: Lost in Australian Open Quarterfinal, Withdrew from Sofia Open

In 2018, Grigor Dimitrov lost to Kyle Edmund in the Australian Open quarter-final and later withdrew from the Sofia Open due to a shoulder injury.

May 2019: Parting Ways with Vallverdu

On May 7, 2019, Grigor Dimitrov announced that he and Daniel Vallverdu had parted ways after a series of unsuccessful tournament participations.

2020: Skipping Tokyo Olympics

In 2020, Grigor Dimitrov chose to skip the Tokyo Olympics. He had registered to play at the ATP 250 tournament in Atlanta instead but had to withdraw because he did not meet the minimal qualifications requirements due to non-representation in the Davis Cup.

April 2023: Ranking Drop After Monte-Carlo Masters

On April 17, 2023, Grigor Dimitrov dropped outside of the top 30 in the rankings, unable to defend his semifinal points from the previous year, following his first round loss to Jiri Lehecka at Monte-Carlo. In Madrid, he defeated Grégoire Barrère before losing to Carlos Alcaraz, and in Rome, he defeated Stan Wawrinka before also losing to Novak Djokovic.

2023: BNP Paribas Open and Miami Open

In 2023, at the BNP Paribas Open, Grigor Dimitrov lost in the second round to Jason Kubler after retiring due to a right-knee injury in the third set. At the Miami Open, he won his second-round match against Jan-Lennard Struff.