Grigor Dimitrov Narrates How Tough It Was for Him to Recover from Scary Injury He Suffered at Wimbledon
Grigor Dimitrov last won a title at the 2024 Brisbane International by defeating Holger Rune.
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Grigor Dimitrov (via X/Wimbledon)
To the surprise of the watchers of the fourth round Wimbledon match, Grigor Dimitrov took the first two sets off eventual champion Jannik Sinner. Then the worst happened.
While hitting an ace, Dimitrov injured his right pectoral muscle and collapsed on the court. He left the court in tears. But Dimitrov did not let the injury get the better of him and affect his career. During his practice session at the Queensland Tennis Centre, the Bulgarian ace narrated what went on behind the scenes during his recovery process.
It took me quite a while to rebuild my muscles. It was a very painful, very tough summer. I couldn’t serve, I couldn’t hit my forehand, all of that. I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym. It’s been a long, very hard process, but I realize I had no choice but to listen to my body.
Grigor Dimitrov said
Dimitrov made his comeback at the Paris Masters at the end of October. Although he was successful in defeating Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, he went on to withdraw from the next match because of discomfort.
Dimitrov has also made changes to his coaching team. He has ended his partnership with Jamie Delgado and Daniel Vallverdu and hired coach Xavier Malisse.
Xavier will be by my side. We’ve signed a new agreement, and he’s someone who brings me clarity. From a physical point of view, I’ve undergone a complete rebuild. Yes, these are all quite significant changes. Last year, I started the season very strong, so I hope to do the same in 2026.
Grigor Dimitrov added
Dimitrov knows very well that reaching where he was before the painful injury will be difficult. His first tournament of the 2026 season will be the Brisbane International, which is scheduled to start on January 4.
Grigor Dimitrov is confident about a strong comeback
Grigor Dimitrov used to enjoy seeded status while being a part of the top 20. But due to the injury, he has now dropped to the 44th spot. This means Dimitrov will not be seeded at the Australian Open, which could see him face tough opponents in the early rounds. But Dimitrov won’t let rankings decide how good he is as a player.
Whenever I step onto the court, it’s to compete, give my best, and win the tournament, and this time will be no different. Right now, my ranking isn’t a reflection of my game, but I’m confident that if I do things right and stay healthy, if my body truly allows me to grit my teeth in the tough moments of each match, great things will happen.
Grigor Dimitrov said during his practice session at the Queensland Tennis Centre
Dimitrov finished the season with an 18-11 win-loss record, winning no titles. The former World No.3 also failed to reach a final this year.
The last time he made the title clash was at the 2024 Stockholm Open, losing the match to Tommy Paul. In the Grand Slam events, the nine-time singles titlist has never progressed beyond the semifinals, reaching the stage three times.
At the Australian Open, he reached the semifinals in 2017, but this year he failed to progress past the second round. The last time he made a deep run in the Melbourne Major was in 2021 when he reached the quarterfinals. The 2026 Australian Open is scheduled to start on January 18.
Dimitrov has just one Big Title to his name. Back in 2017, he won the Cincinnati Masters by defeating Nick Kyrgios. Since then, he has made two Masters 1000 finals, at the 2023 Paris Masters and the 2024 Miami Open.
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