Kraj: Bułgaria
Miejsce zamieszkania: Haskovo, Bułgaria
Data urodzenia: 16 Maj 1991r.
Miejsce urodzenia: Haskovo, Bułgaria
Wzrost: 1.87 m
Waga: 76 kg
W Tourze od: 2008r.
Zawodnik praworęczny, o jednoręcznym backhandzie.
Myślę, że warto już w tym momencie założyć wątek o tym zawodniku. Bez watpięnia jest to jeden z najlepiej zapowiadających sie młokosów w tourze. W meczach z Nadalem i Simonem pokazał, że ma w przyszłości papiery na wielkie granie. Oba mecze co prawda przegrał, ale oba spotkania były wyrównane, szczególnie mecz z Francuzem, gdzie w koncówce zabrakło doświadczenia i spokoju. Warto dodać, że jest to juniorski mistrz ostatniego Wimbledonu.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nZdiU6Me5M - link do meczu z Nadalem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fypHcM9M … re=related - urywki z finału juniorskiego Wimbledonu 2008
Bizon napisał:
Mysle ze warto juz w tym momencie zalozyc watek o tym zawodniku.
Powinno być nam wstyd, że takiego tematu do tej pory tu nie było :D
Dzięki za inki, wiele o nim słyszałem, ale na oczy jego gry nie było mi dane zobaczyć.
Za chwilę sobie pooglądam. :)
Jednoręczny bekhend i ja nie mam więcej pytań. :D Może na razie jeszcze nie zachwyca, ale mocno intryguje. Jeśli zostanie dobrze poprowadzony, będą z niego ludzie.
Czytam różne fora i coraz więcej ludzi pisze, że jeszcze ze 2 lata i Federer z czystym sumieniem i w spokoju będzie mógł odłożyć rakietę. Grasz 1 ręką bh i już cię do Szwajcarów porównują :D
No niestety, kiedy alternatywą są drwale i wyroby delpotropodobne, to każdy młody gracz, który prezentuje kapke finezji, wywołuje spazmy zachwytu. :D
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Grasz 1 ręką bh i już cię do Szwajcarów porównują :D
Dodając jeszcze to przesunięcie w wieku o 10 lat jak w przypadku Feda i Samprasa to już w ogóle jest jasne kto za parę lat będzie dominował :] Przydałoby się jeszcze jakieś spotkanie w najbliższym czasie w WS co by można było mówic o symbolicznym przekazaniu pałeczki i namaszczeniu przyszłego króla :P
Art, z tym przekazaniem pałeczki to spokojnie bo wciąż 13 < 14 :P
I nie zapowiada się na zmianę.
Co do samego gracza, z tego co się o nim słyszy to na pewno niespokojna i niepokorna dusza, co sprawia że może będzie to zawodnik któremu z czasem pokibicuję. Poza tym wyrażam dezaprobatę aby o ludziach z roczników 91-92 pisać, to niesprawiedliwe.
Aha, i mój ulubiony film z tym panem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3VGp3aK … re=related
Jest takie powiedzonko " Dajcie mi człowieka , a paragraf zawsze się znajdzie " co chce przez to powiedziec ? ano zobacze kilka Jego meczy i powiem wam czemu drugim Federerem nigdy nie będzie :P
Ludzie mają to do siebie że często lubią sobie daleko wybiegać w przyszłość , tworząc bajkowe scenariusze , nie mowie że to jest złe , ale jednak trzeba wziąść poprawke że w tej profesji wielkie kariery , od wielkich niewypałów dzieli cieniutka linia , taki Andres D'Alessandro miał być doskonałą kopią Maradony , a niestety ale zginął w przeciętności :/
Ale jak tu widze nawet w tym lekko zdeformowanym obrazie seriwsu you tube gra Grigora jest balsamem dla oka , więc życze mu wszystko naj :)
Grigor, czas na Ciebie :D
Na chwilę obecną pozycja w rankingu: 389.
Jak jest Vamos po bułgarsku ? :P
Ja spotkałem się jedynie z "Haide" i z różnych względów to zawołanie średnio mi się podoba :P , trzeba będzie chyba pozostac przy tradycyjnym "C'MON" :D
A tak w ogóle to jak widzę, że zaczynamy mu kibicowac to już współczuję Grigorowi, boję się, że prędzej, czy później może go spotkac los luzera taki sam jak Feda, Jamesa, czy chociażby Gasqueta :| Choc tak po cichu mam nadzieję, że stanie się on pierwszym zawodnikiem z grona tych bardziej lubianych przeze mnie, który będzie miał jaja i mocny łeb zawsze i wszędzie :D
A jak już tu jestem to przy okazji wkleję całkiem świeży artykuł o Bułgarze, może akurat kogoś zainteresuje --> http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1417 … -in-tennis
Art napisał:
zaczynamy mu kibicowac to już współczuję Grigorowi, boję się, że prędzej, czy później może go spotkac los luzera taki sam jak Feda, Jamesa, czy chociażby Gasqueta :| Choc tak po cichu mam nadzieję, że stanie się on pierwszym zawodnikiem z grona tych bardziej lubianych przeze mnie, który będzie miał jaja i mocny łeb zawsze i wszędzie :D
Art, Ci wymienieni powyżej nasi pupile, w latach świetności mieli jaja jak mało kto :D Dopiero jak przestało iść to quasi-obrzezanie nastąpiło :) Grigorowi tego nie życzę, ale chyba jest to nieuniknione. Nikt mu 1 ręką grać nie kazał :D
15.06.2009
Grigor zaliczył udany występ w Queens Clubie. Grając z dziką kartą przegrał w 2 rundzie z Simonem.
Dimitrov zanotował po tym turnieju awans o 20 pozycji i obecnie jest 341 w rankingu, najwyżej w karierze.
Kolejny turniej: Wimbledon [WC]
Vamos po bułgarsku to nie "Haide", ale "Ajde".
Peter Lundgren had tears in his eyes; Grigor Dimitrov had stars. Together they watched Roger Federer win his historic French Open title on television in the players' lounge at Queen's – Lundgren, Federer's coach in his formative years, Dimitrov the Bulgarian teenager being talked of as the next great talent to hit *tennis. He was the Wimbledon and US Open junior *champion last year and next week he will play in the Wimbledon main draw for the first time.
Dimitrov's talent is abundant and obvious. The serve is loose and free flowing; the backhand a glorious shot that is reminiscent of Federer, though *Lundgren believes that the 18-year-old is better than the Swiss was at the same age. It might seem a huge burden of expectation to carry but for the moment Dimitrov appears like any other teenager, at least off court. He plays pool and table tennis with Lundgren and gets his knuckles rapped when he leaves his wallet in the locker room. The Swede, who worked for a short time with Britain's Davis Cup squad, is part mentor, part friend, part surrogate father.
"Grigor has got all the strokes," he said. "He has the serve, the slice, topspin, everything. He just needs to get stronger, that's all. Above all he has the fire, the will to win."
At Queen's Dimitrov lost to France's Gilles Simon, the world No7, whose shot selection on vital points emphasised how much Dimitrov has, for all his talent, yet to learn. The two clasped hands at the net, with the young Bulgarian being politeness personified as he left the court. But once inside the clubhouse he let out a huge yell and then sat unmoving in the locker room, his head in his hands, for 20 *minutes. The loss hurt.
Lundgren, who received a message from Federer after Roland Garros, *thanking him for always believing in him, remembered how difficult the early days had been with the often volatile young Swiss. "Roger was tough at the beginning. He did not have the motivation sometimes. He was lazy." Then came a dramatic turnaround.
"It's fantastic to see how much he has learned though all the years," said Lund*gren. "It makes me very proud but at times it was very frustrating. Roger had to go through that and Grigor is the same. They have to make the mistakes to understand. Eventually they get there but for talented people it takes longer. Grigor is a bit further on than Roger was but, when Roger decided to go, he went so fast that nobody could really understand it."
Lundgren and Dimitrov, who is currently ranked just inside the world's top 350, teamed up early this year, at the Mouratoglou academy in Paris. Their first tournament together was in Rotterdam, when Dimitrov beat Thomas Berdych, a top-10 player two years ago, and then took a set off the world No1, Rafael Nadal. Lundgren, however, was not there to see it.
"It was a weird start," he said. "I had to fly home because my father had a stroke. But Grigor is such a good kid to work with, very smart. A quick learner, listens well and understands the game."
Dimitrov's father, Dimitar, coached his son. "He has done a fantastic job, and its nice he is still involved," said Lundgren. "I want him to be part of it and he's a good guy. It's not distracting me at all. He helps me actually. It's all working really well.".
Dimitrov's confident start on the ATP Tour in Rotterdam has not been reflected at Challenger level this year but Lundgren is unperturbed.
"I think he thought that he had the level to play consistently with the top players. But the Challengers are at a really high level these days. Maybe many of them don't perform well on the big courts but they are ready for Grigor because they know he is upcoming and young. He underestimated them a little bit.
"He has a very good temperament and now I think he understands he still has a long way to go. Everything takes time. He needs to get stronger and to get a routine, to know what to do. In the last four months he has come a long way. He could easily be top 100 soon, no problem. Maybe win one or two rounds on the ATP Tour here and there. He has the fire. He wants it."
06.07.09
Grigor po turnieju wimbledońskim osiąga jak do tej pory swoje najwyższe w karierze, 332 miejsce w rankingu ATP.
Bułgar wraca do rywalizacji po kontuzji odniesionej w Londynie w turnieju szwedzkim Bastad, gdzie w I r. zagra z zawodnikiem wyłonionym z kwalifikacji.
Young Star Dimitrov Also A Hit On Volleyball Court
Bulgarian prodigy and rising ATP star Grigor Dimitrov was the star of the show at the traditional Bastad volleyball tournament Wednesday on a beach just metres from the centre court at the Catella Swedish Open.
Dimitrov, whose mother Maria was a former volleyball player, teamed up with four Swedes: his coach Peter Lundgren, former ATP player Lars-Anders Wahlgren, and youngsters Tim Goransson and Carl Bergman. They defeated a team consisting of beach volleyball players in the semi-final before falling in the final.
Dimitrov entered the Catella Swedish Open as a wildcard and pushed Guillermo Canas in the first round. The youngster is already making a big impression on the ATP World Tour, with Lundgren boldly declaring that he is “better than Federer was at his age".
Dimitrov is nicknamed G-Force, Dimi, and PT (Prime Time). Dimitrov practises at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Paris and has been coached by Lundgren since February.
Nowa najwyższa pozycja Bułgara w rankingu Entry na dzień 27.07.09.
18-lat stuknęło, wypadałoby już się zakręcić ok 1/4 1/2 finału jakiegoś mniejszego eventu ATP.
10.08.2009
Awans aż o 34 miejsca! Wszystko za sprawą niezłego występu w Segovii. Grigor przebrnął tam kwalifikacje i wygrał 2 mecze w turnieju głównym. W 1/4 musiał uznać wyższość Marcela Grannolersa - Pujola.
Btw niezłe sąsiedztwo - samprasowo-federerowi pogromcy :)
Kopia Federera, takie same ruchy, podobna gra, ciekawe czy zbliży się do sukcesów Rogera, niemniej w każdym turnieju w którym występuję bacznie śledzę jego wyniki
Wywiad z Peterem Lundgrenem - trenerem Dimitrova
Niewykluczone, że już za kilka miesięcy na światowych kortach rozbłyśnie nowa gwiazda. Już teraz niektórzy przepowiadają, że 18-letni Grigor Dymitrow wkrótce zdetronizuje Rogera Federera. - Dymitrow jest lepszy niż Szwajcar w wieku 18 lat - powiedział Peter Lundgren, światowej sławy trener.
Największą sensację podczas rozgrywanego niedawno challengera w Trnavie wzbudziła obecność na trybunach światowej sławy szkoleniowca - Petera Lundgrena. 44-letni Szwed jest na co dzień trenerem 18-letniego Bułgara Grigora Dymitrowa. Zdaniem Lundgrena, który miał okazję trenować także Rogera Federera, jego obecny podopieczny już wkrótce może zagrozić najlepszym tenisistom cyklu ATP.
Dlaczego zdecydował się Pan odwiedzić Słowację?
PETER LUNDGREN: Opiekuję się młodym bułgarskim tenisistą - Grigorem Dymitrowem. Przez trzy tygodnie poprzedzające występ na Słowacji grał on we włoskich turniejach, więc pomyśleliśmy, że przyda się nam jakaś odmiana. O turnieju w Trnavie słyszeliśmy wiele dobrego. Wszystkie zasłyszane opinie mogę teraz potwierdzić. Organizacja imprezy była wspaniała.
W grze pojedynczej Dymitrow odpadł już w drugiej rundzie. Nie było szans na to, by zajść w turnieju dalej?
- Oczywiście, że mieliśmy nadzieje na lepszy występ. Jednak po łatwym zwycięstwie z Kamilem Čapkovicem w pierwszej rundzie, Grigor natrafił na rozstawionego z trójką Czecha Hajka. Dużo lepiej zaprezentował się za to w deblu, gdzie grając po raz pierwszy z Rosjaninem Gabaszwilim, dotarł do finału.
Z bułgarskim tenisistą, zwycięzcą juniorskiego US Open, pracuje Pan już od roku. Jak porównałby Pan Dymitrowa do innych, trenowanych przez siebie, zawodników?
- Ten chłopak ma potencjał, by stać się prawdziwą gwiazdą. Gdy porównam go z Rogerem Federerem w wieku 18 lat, to z pewnością Dymitrow prezentuje się znacznie lepiej. On uwielbia ciężką pracę i regularnie czyni postępy. Nie sposób oczywiście przewidzieć, jak będzie wyglądała jego przyszłość. Federer w ogromny sposób poprawił swoją grę w wieku 19-20 lat. Australijczyk Lleyton Hewitt, którego nie miałem okazji trenować, został numerem jeden na świecie, będąc młodszym niż Grigor. Każdy utalentowany gracz ma swój moment w karierze.
Gdzie będzie Dymitrow za dwa, trzy lata?
- Z pewnością w czołowej dwudziestce rankingu ATP.
Czego jeszcze może go Pan nauczyć?
- Wszystkiego. Poczynając od gry w tenisa, a na życiu osobistym kończąc. Na początek chciałbym, aby ustabilizował on swoją formę na wysokim poziomie. Staram się nauczyć go gry na każdej nawierzchni, poprawić jego timing, jak również pomóc w skutecznym wykorzystywaniu rotacji. Dużo ze sobą rozmawiamy. Grigor uczy się bardzo szybko. Pewnego dnia powiedziałem sobie, że skoro popełniłem tyle błędów w swojej karierze, to teraz przynajmniej powinienem pomóc w ich uniknięciu młodym tenisistom. Właśnie dlatego zdecydowałem się zostać trenerem.
eurosport.pl
- Ten chłopak ma potencjał, by stać się prawdziwą gwiazdą. Gdy porównam go z Rogerem Federerem w wieku 18 lat, to z pewnością Dymitrow prezentuje się znacznie lepiej.
Na tym poziomie i w tym wieku to nie jest jakieś wybitnie trudne :P Oby w wieku 23 lat wciąż nadawał się do porównań z Fedem ;)
Grigor 310 w Entry w dzisiejszym notowaniu. Spadek o 2 lokaty.
Chciałbym się mylić, ale jakoś nie wierzę, że ten chłopak przebije się do czółowki.
Ok,18 lat, NIBY mnóstwo czasu, tylko żeby nie było to sformułowanie powtarzane przez kolejne 3 sezony, aż Bułgar stanie się niespełnionym talentem.
Nikt nie mówi tutaj o wygrywaniu Szlemów jako 18-latek, ale wypadałoby powoli robić 2,3 rundy turniejów na poziomie ATP.
Niektóre bałkańskie kraje czy bałtyckie mają sporo talentów, które potem są uznane za niespełnione. Nie wiem czemu tak się dzieje Niby mają słabe zaplecze ale zazwyczaj ci zawodnicy jadą do Stanów i nic...
Z Dimitrovem może być podobnie, choć Lundgren jest osobowością, która napawa optymizmem. Szwed jest na pewno trenerem, który może doprowadzić go wysoko.
http://www.grigor-dimitrov.com/
Strona internetowa bułgarskiego tenisisty.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11.01.2010r.
Dimitrov po osiągnięciu 1/4 finału challengera w Noumei awansował o 20 pozycji w rankingu ATP dzięki czemu znajduje na jak dotychczas rekordowym dla siebie 268 miejscu.
jeśli Grigor będzie prezentował równą formę przez cały sezon (a o to będzie niezmiernie trudno) to ma szanse znaleźć się w Top 120 (tak myślę).
Futuresowa kolekcja Grigorka:
1) Hiszpania F20 2008
R1 Pedro Clar Rosello (ESP) 6/0 6/7 6/1
R2 Alexander Ward (GBR) 6/1 6/1
Q Sergio Gutierrez-Ferol (ESP) 4/6 6/3 6/2
SF Javier Genaro-Martinez (ESP) 7/6 3/6 6/3
F Pablo Santos (ESP) 6/3 6/4
2)Hiszpania F34 2008
R1 Jose-Manuel Garcia (ESP) 6/1 6/2
R2 Gregoire Burquier (FRA) 6/3 6/4
Q Ludovic Walter (FRA) 6/3 6/2
SF David Canudas (ESP) 6/4 6/4
F Ignacio Coll-Riudavets 7/6 6/3
3) Hiszpania F35 2008
R1 Gregoire Burquier (FRA) 7/6 6/7 7/6
R2 Artur Romanowski (POL) 7/6 6/2
Q Sergio Gutierrez-Ferrol (ESP) 3/6 6/4 7/6
SF Jose Checa-Calvo (ESP) 6/3 6/4
F Ludovic Walter (FRA) 6/4 6/4
Naprawdę mało dobrych zawodników pokonał do drodze do tych tytułów Bułgar.
Grigor ogłosił swój plan gier na najbliższy czas:
12.04 - Johannesburg, South Africa - Hard - $100,000+H
19.04 - Ateny, Greece - Hard - €85,000
26.04 - Rodes, Greece - Hard - €30,000
17.05 - ATP Nicea - Clay - €450,000
Jak weźmie udział w zawodach w Nicei to prawdopodobnie opuści kwalifikacje do Rg i tym samym cały paryski turniej. Chyba, że ktoś przydzieli mu WC.
Peter McNamara is the New Coach of Grigor Dimitrov
Peter McNamara replaces Peter Lundgren as coach of Grigor Dimitrov. McNamara is 54 years old and is a member of the elite coaches at Mouratoglu Academy in Paris. The Australian reached No 7 back in 1983 and has a total of 5 ATP singles and 19 doubles titles in hiscareer. Among his doubles titles are wins twice at Wimbledon and once at Australian Open. Peter McNamara was coach of Mark Philippoussis, ex No 8 and two times Grand Slam finalist.
Today's match was the first one of Grigor Dimitrov with the new coach Peter McNamara.
Dimitrov gra w tym tygodniu w turnieju rangi futures. Dostał dziką kartę i jest rozstawiony z nr 1. Fatalnie to ostatnio wygląda. 19 lat skończone w maju, a On zamiast grać w turniejach ATP, ociera się o granice między challengerami a futuresami.
29.08.2010 - Pierwszy wygrany w karierze challenger, Genewa 2010.
Droga do zwycięstwa:
R32 Cedrik-Marcel Stebe GER 6-3 6-3
R16 Pavol Cervenak SVK 6-3 7-5
1/4 Laurent Rochette FRA 6-1 6-4
1/2 David Goffin BEL 6-3 7-5
F Pablo Andujar ESP [3] 6-2 4-6 6-4
Po tym sukcesie Grigor osiągnął rekordową dla siebie 184 pozycję w rankingu ATP.
Pod wodzą McNamary w końcu coś ruszyło, odkąd zastąpił on Petera Lundgrena to Dimitrov wygrał 3futuresy, 1challeneger i awansował o prawie 200miejsc w rankingu! Oby tak dalej.
Art napisał:
Pod wodzą McNamary w końcu coś ruszyło, odkąd zastąpił on Petera Lundgrena to Dimitrov wygrał 3futuresy, 1challeneger i awansował o prawie 200miejsc w rankingu! Oby tak dalej.
Warto odnotować, że we wszystkich finałach jaki Bułgar rozegrał w "dorosłym" tenisie, Grisha ma znakomity bilans 9-0. Czekamy na kolejne wygrane mecze. ;)
Co do zmiany trenera to przynosi efekty. Dimitrov ogrywa się w challengerach, nie ma tego szalonego i często niepotrzebnego grania na dzikich kartah w imprezach, gdzie w danej chwili poziom był ciut za wysoki.
Wywiad z Grigorem, przeprowadzony w trakcie trwania challengera w Genewie. Bułgar odniósł tam swoje pierwsze końcowe zwycięstwo w turnieju rangi challenger.
How do you feel in Geneva? Are you here for the first time?
No, no. That's not the first time. It's the first time I play this tournament but I've already been in Geneva as a tourist. I love the lake and the nature surrounding it. As for the tournament, the organizers are doing a great job and I'm really happy to be here.
You are 19 years old and you became a professional 2 years ago. Do you think about having a successful career in this sport?
Of course. I'll do everything I can. I've set my goals and of course I dream about becoming the best player in the world. I work hard to accomplish this.
You are #245 in the world at the moment. Do you think that one day you can become a top 5 player?
Of course this is one of my goals. In 2-3 years. One never knows...
Which is your best memory from the ATP tour?
At the tournament in Rotterdam where I lost in 3 sets to Rafael Nadal after I had beaten Tomas Berdych. This was an incredible experience. I'm really proud of what I did.
Who is your favourite tennis player?
There are many... I'd say Roger Federer because he is a real ambassador of tennis in the world.
Which is your favourite surface?
I don't have any preferences. It doesn't matter much to me, my aim is always to win. I'm a player who plays equally well on all surfaces.
Do you think that you can win the title in Geneva?
Yes, I think that I can, everything is possible. It always feels great to have a win after win during the whole week.
How would you describe your relations with Peter McNamara?
We've been working together for a little bit more than a couple of months and everything goes very well. That's what I was looking for and I am extremely happy.
Who are your best friends on the tour?
I have a lot of friends. Some of them are Jonathan Eysseric and Alex Bogdanovic whom I've known for a long time.
What do you think when somebody tells you that you look like Roger Federer?
Many people say that I am the next Roger Federer. I'm very proud when I hear this. Nevertheless I try to be myself and to work hard in order to accomplish my goals and to find my own place in the world of tennis.
Żródło: forum rf.com
20.09.2010r.
Grigor Dimitrov Mistrzem challengera w Bangkoku, 2 challengerowy tytuł w karierze.
R32 Woong-Sun Jun (KOR) 354 W 2-6, 6-0, 6-1
R16 Evgeny Kirillov (RUS) 243 W 6-4, 6-3
Q Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) 487 W 7-6(4), 6-3
S Go Soeda (JPN) 110 W 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-0
W Konstantin Kravchuk (RUS) 141 W 6-1, 6-4
Po zwycięstwie w challengerze w Bangkoku Grigor zajmuje już 146 miejsce w rankingu ATP.
10 zwycięstw w rzędu - robi wrażenie. Wprawdzie można się czepiać, że najwyżej notowany gracz jakiego Grisha ograł to Go Soeda (#110). Pamiętajmy jednak, że jeszcze nie tak dawno z takimi dostawał łomot, a wizyty pod koniec 4 setki kazały wątpić w Jego potencjał. Dobrze, że coś ruszyło - kwalifikacje do AO już są, jak utrzyma formę do końca roku to i udział z miejsca w MD powinien osiągnąć spokojnie. ;)
Is Grigor Dimitrov the next Roger Federer?
There are few avid tennis fans who have not heard of Grigor Dimitrov who has been tagged as the next big phenomenon on the tennis court. The young player, who hails from Bulgaria, is only 19 years old and turned professional only two years ago in 2008. His first major breakthroughs were as a junior player, where he won the boys singles tournaments at Wimbledon and the junior US Open, giving him a junior high rank of world number one.
Dimitrov achieved his highest professional career ranking only a day ago, on September 20, 2010. The 6 foot 2 inch player defeated former Top 20 player Dmitry Tursunov to win his second consecutive ATP Challenger-level event. This victory enabled him to claim the Bangkok title and move up 44 places to a career high of world number 146.
This young player also scored a victory at the ATP tournament, the Geneva Challenger, at the end of August this year. With this Bangkok title, his win streak increases to 10 matches. Dimitrov has had an exceptional summer, with victories in three European Futures events. He has won 22 of his last 23 matches, as well as both Futures and Challengers.
Grigor Dimitrov, also known as G-Force, seems to have caught the eye of several authorities; the first agency to discover his talent was the Aegon 2009 organizing team, which offered him a wild card to the tournament. However, he seems to be the first player of his generation to be compared with all-time tennis legend, Roger Federer.
The first comparisons made are physical. It is impossible to miss the dark hair, held by a bandana; the black slanting eyes, the firm cheekbone structure; the lanky frame. To add to this, Dimitrov seems to idealize Federer, with his all back strip being highly reminiscent of Federer’s own.
Another reason for this comparison is Peter Lundgren. Lundgren was Roger Federer’s coach in his pre-championship days, during the training that led to his first Wimbledon title. He has since then taken on the coaching of Grigor Dimitrov, and has reported that this new talent has even more potential than Federer had.
However, all these factors aside, G-Force’s game speaks for itself. The first shot to catch the eye is his smooth backhand; with a sweep echoing Federer’s style, his single handed backhand is fast, effective, flexible and may become his signature shot. To add to this, his serve stance is almost identical to Federer’s: feet placed one in front of the other, knees bent. However, Dimitrov’s serve is already more powerful than that of the Swiss champion. His forehand is also classic Federer: spinning off his leading leg, the other leg lifted slightly. It is fast and adaptable, and will no doubt improve. In addition to this, his strange drop shot – curved and slicing – makes it almost seem as if he is being coached by Federer himself.
Dimitrov’s failures, if any, are directly linked to his young age and lack of experience. He seems to be leggy and still underdeveloped, but is still growing. Another fault of his is his puppy-like enthusiasm; he jumps in to take every shot possible, often risking sprains and breaks. However, this attack and keenness were what made Federer’s game so pleasant to watch. He also possesses the control that Federer himself fought hard to master past the age of 18, giving more credence to Lundgren’s assessment.
Grigor Dimitrov: "Success Will Come Sooner or Later. I Believe in This."
18.09.2010
Grigor and Peter McNamara
In the beginning of June Grigor Dimitrov and Peter Lundgren split and the Swedish coach was succeeded by Peter McNamara. During 2009 and the beginning of 2010 Grisho wasn't able to achieve the accomplishments that all of us expected but with the coming of the Australian coach it looks as though things changed with a magic wand.
Grigor won 3 futures and 2 challengers within 3 months and has had 37 wins and only 5 losses.
"Last year was very difficult for me because I had only two good matches in the whole 2009. I beat Berdich and then I played against Rafa and lost in 3 sets. It seems that this played a bad trick on me because I thought that I was ready to play on this level," Grigor Dimitrov said after winning the title in Geneva.
"The truth is that you have to start from the lowest level and to get to know your game in order to prove what you can on different surfaces. Everybody can go out there and play one good match but you need to be constant. If you don't have the basis... the basis of everything and if you don't learn how to play then you just waste your time. Maybe this was one of my mistakes as well as the way we made the schedule of the tournaments in which I participated. However everybody learned their lessons and now we started well. I have such feeling."
But what's the difference between Peter Lundgren and Peter McNamara and what is the reason for the sudden wins? "We started our partnership with Peter Lundgren in a wonderful way. We had several excellent weeks together but at one point the tournaments went by and not that we stopped progressing but rather we were aiming at much bigger things. I wasn't ready for them and maybe it was also my mistake that I didn't discuss with him the way I wanted things to develop. I had to do things my way and not the way people said. We really had a wonderful time together and I learned a lot from Peter Lundgren. Still he was the coach of one of the best tennis players who reached #1 in the world. There is no doubt about that."
"It's difficult to compare both because I haven't worked with McNamara that long but we got together very well from the very beginning on the court and off the court. He just got me back to the basics. He knew exactly what I needed and what I had to do. He was unyielding and "kicked me" from time to time. If we go on working the way we do it at the moment and keep on improving everything on the court and off the court... especially off the court which is more important to me, but these are just details... (laughs). If we go on the way we started, if we work both on the strengths and weaknesses, sooner or later success will come. I believe in this."
Only time will show if Grigor will succeed but it seems that he and Peter McNamara are on the right way. Grigor moved 215 spots in only 3-4 months and will be around #145 next week.
Forum rf.com
Przetłumaczony tekst z bułgarskiej gazety.
Tydzień po zwycięstwie w challengerze Bangkoku Grigor wygrał kolejny turniej tego samego cyklu również rozgrywany w stolicy Tajlandii. Było to jego trzecie turniejowe zwycięstwo na tym szczeblu rozgrywek.
R32 Ivan Dodig (CRO) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 RET
R16 Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-4, 6-1
Q Sebastian Rieschick (GER) 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-3
S Go Soeda (JPN) 6-3, 6-4
W Alexandre Kudryavtsev (RUS) 6-4, 6-1
Po tym sukcesie Bułgar awansował na 136 pozycję w rankingu ATP.
Can Anyone Stop Dimitrov?
Sorry, I just couldn't resist echoing that headline from the other day, despite its questionable relevance to the story about Kazakhstan appearing in the Davis Cup World Group draw for the first time. But it's a modest workday for me and this Bulgarian boy, 19-year-old Grigor Dimitrov, is really lighting it up on the Challeger circuit, having just won the third successive event he's played.
Dimitrov's streak goes back to Geneva, in August, and includes two recent wins—Bangkok 1 and Bangkok 2—in Thailand. I guess you can call Dimitrov's feat a Thai Challenger Mini Slam. And why not add two more Challenger segments, so you could could create the Thai Challenger Grand Slam? I'd change the names, though: "Bangkok 1, 2, 3 and 4" just doesn't have the same ring as "Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and U.S. Open."
Seriously though, I assume that Thai officials have enough dough to create two tournaments instead of one high-paying one, and in some ways doing so is a better deal for everyone except the guy collecting the winner's check—as counter-intuitive as it may seem in an enterprise where the size of the purse is one of the major selling points for the event and all those interested in it.
Offering two opportunities to earn ATP points is a better incentive to lure up-and-coming players to what is still, relatively speaking, a far-flung outpost of the game. And if you look at the Challenger schedule, you'll see that it's organized in segments that slightly eases the pain (cost of travel) for players who are usually just scraping by, or even going into hock to earn a shot at stardom. I also wouldn't be surprised if they had to come up with Bangkok 1 and 2 in order to earn the ATP sanction, and the tournaments are obviously linked to the ATP 250 event coming up there. BTW, if you want to poke around in these esoteric regions to investigate these issues, Core Tennis (unfortunately, the site doesn't load for me today) and Steve G Tennis are great places to start.
In any event, On May 19th of 2008, Dimitrov (who was ranked as high as No. 3 among world juniors) was ranked outside the world Top 1,000. He has a lot of up-side. His ranking has climbed to No. 146. So he's coming up on ATP and Grand Slam direct acceptance territory, and quick. Watch out world!
Meanwhile, Pablo Andujar, a journeyman experiencing a dream week, is set to play Juan Ignacio Chela, the No. 3 seed, for the title in Bucharest, and Mischa Zverev of Germany is in his first-ever ATP final. He'll play eighth-seeded Gilles Simon for the title in Metz.
So, while the U.S. Open is long over, the Grand Slam year has ended, and fall weather in the northern hemisphere is dampening tennis enthusiasm among all but the most dedicated of fans, the dream lives on. . . an on. All around the world. Is this a great sport, or what?
Tramlines: Tennis's teenage wasteland
Do you recognise the player in the picture?
If you correctly identified Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov then congratulations - you clearly know your tennis.
The young Bulgarian has been touted as 'the new Roger Federer' for a few years now; he won the juniors at Wimbledon and the US Open, and is clearly a natural and exciting talent.
However, don't berate yourself too much if you have never heard of him. He has only won seven ATP matches since then, and played a solitary Grand Slam match. He's not what you would call a household name.
But his significance? Well, at the age of 19 and five months, he is the highest-ranked teenager in men's tennis.
His ranking?
136.
That number is not a typo - the highest ranked teenager in men's tennis is currently comfortably outside of the top 100. In fact, there are only three teenagers in the top 200, with Canada's Milos Raonic (155) and Russia's Andrey Kuznetsov (197) being the only other two.
#131 - nowy rekord rankingowy Grigora.
18.10.2010
130 Ginepri, Robby (USA) 424
131 Dimitrov, Grigor (BUL) 422
132 Dodig, Ivan (CRO) 419
Jak tak dalej pójdzie to zagra bez kwalifikacji w AO :D
25.10.2010
Finał w Orleanie, kolejny skok w rankingu!
Udany tydzień za Grigorem Dimitrovem. Bułgar dotarł do finału mocno obsadzonego challengera w Orleanie, gdzie ograł m.in. Lacko i Llodrę. W finale 19-latek musiał uznać wyższość Nicolasa Mahuta.
Dimitrov dziś jest notowany najwyżej w dotychczasowej karierze, na 114 miejscu.
113 Korolev, Evgeny (KAZ) 500
114 Dimitrov, Grigor (BUL) 497
115 Bolelli, Simone (ITA) 491
Początek listopada 2010
Rotterdam 2009 (ATP-500)
R32 Tomas Berdych (CZE/ ATP 23) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Orlean 2010 (Challenger)
R32 Lukas Lacko (SVK/ATP 79) 7-5, 6-3
S Michael Llodra (FRA/ATP 32) 7-6(4), 3-6, 7-5
Na chwilę obecną 3 najbardziej wartościowe sukcesy singlowe Grigora. Bułgar w trym tygodniu odpoczywa, a w kolejnych ma w planach 2 challengery w Niemczech: Eckental, Aachen. Jest sporo do zyskania (Grisha nie broni nic d końca roku). Najważniejsze to wejść do Top-100 do końca roku, co umożliwi grę w AO bez konieczności gry w eliminacjach.
W przyszły poniedziałek Bułgar znowu awansuje w rankingu, tym razem nie znacznie. Jego nowy ranking będzie oscylował w granicach #110-#113.
29.11.2010 - Dimitrov 106 rakietą rankingu ATP!
Po półfinale challengera w Helsinkach Bułgar poprawił swoje dotychczasowe najwyższe miejsce w rankingu ATP o 6 lokat i zajmuje w nim obecnie 106 pozycję.
Bułgarowi grozi dyskwalifikacja ze styczniowego Australian Open (lub eliminacji) na skutek awantury, którą wszczął po półfinale w Helsinkach,w której prawie doszło do rękoczynów z sędzią stołkowym. Jednak Dimitrov w porę został powstrzymany.
To byłby nokaut dla niego i jego kibiców. :bialaflaga:
Że jak? :] Tak się nastawiałem na jego występ w Australii, no będę bardzo rozczarowany, jeśli nie zgra.
Źródło: naoczny świadek meczu, jeden z sędziów liniowych. Podobno ATP będzie rozpatrywać tę sprawę.
Fed za młodu świętoszkiem nie był , ale chyba aż tak nie zadymiał :mrgreen:
Błagam, błagam, tylko nie to...
Dimitrov nie zagra w Chennai. Bułgar rozpocznie sezon od turnieju w Melbourne. Za wspomniany wyżej incydent dostał karę w wysokości 2 tys dolarów i wciąż istnieje groźba zawieszenia go przez ITF.
Following in Federer's footsteps
Handling the hype is part of the job for any talented young tennis player but being labelled 'the new Roger Federer' and touted as the next big thing in the men's game means Grigor Dimitrov has more to deal with than most.
Why all the attention? Well, in a sport desperate for new blood to challenge the established order - the same four players began and ended the year at the top of the ATP rankings, and only three men other than Federer or Rafael Nadal have won a single Grand Slam since the start of 2005 - the 19-year-old Bulgarian is widely seen as potentially the next big star of a new generation of tennis talent.
Dimitrov's burgeoning reputation is down to his rapid rise from outside the top 350 to the fringes of the top 100 in the world over the last six months, and the clutch of Futures and Challenger events he won on the way to becoming the world's top-ranked male teenager at the end of 2010.
And the resemblance to Federer, who incidentally has been his idol since childhood, is easy to see too. On court, they share the same sweeping single-handed backhand, exciting attacking game and even a trademark bandana.
Off it, their professional careers were both launched by the same coach, Peter Lundgren, who says Dimitrov is the more talented. No pressure there then.
Dimitrov's playing style is reminiscent of his hero, and he dresses alike too
So, how does it feel to be seen as the successor to your hero? "There are worse things to be called!" Dimitrov, who is fluent in English and as articulate as he is amiable, told me last week from Dubai, where he was relaxing at the end of an eventful year.
"Of course it is nice to hear it, and all these other things, but there is only one reaction I can really give: I am the number 106 in the world, and Federer is the best tennis player alive. It is very hard for me to compare us in any other way.
"I loved watching Roger when I was growing up, and I still watch him when I can, no matter what, because you can learn so much. Of course there are some similarities with how we play, with my backhand and serve, but I never aimed for that, because my father taught me how to play tennis and everything came quite naturally to me.
"I've met Roger a few times but I have not really spoken to him properly yet, just to say things like 'how are you' or 'good luck' but nothing more. It is tough to get near to players like that, because I haven't been at many tournaments with him yet."
Dimitrov is pretty confident that will change in the next few months. He thinks tennis is "a simple game for intelligent people" and has set himself a clear target: "I believe I can be number one. That's my goal."
But he certainly isn't taking it for granted that he is destined for the top, because he has made that mistake before.
Those comparisons with the Swiss supremo first cropped up during Dimitrov's time as the junior world number one in 2008, after he collected the boys' titles at Wimbledon and the US Open at the age of 17.
That was expected to be the launchpad for an immediate assault on the big guns of men's Tour, especially after an impressive start to his professional career at the start of 2009 that saw him beat Tomas Berdych and take Nadal to three sets. But Dimitrov's progress soon faltered.
Looking back now, he knows why he initially found the transition from junior star to the main circuit so hard to make. "I had two great matches against Tomas and Rafa, and I thought everything was said and done to go and join the big guys," he explained. "But that is one of the tricky things about the game that you have to learn - how to play well over and over again, not just once or twice.
"It is completely different to being in a boy's tournament. You are up against men who know how to play you because they have been there before and they know every match situation. Of course you can beat a player once but you have to keep doing it, and it is a different kind of tennis too. The momentum of every match is different. It's not until you start playing them that you understand."
The expectation that accompanied his junior accomplishments increased the pressure on Dimitrov too, but he admits his attitude wasn't all it could have been.
http://swieta.dodatki.net/snow/1.gif
"I got a bit lackadaisical," he said. "I didn't ease off but I kind of took a breath, which is the worst thing you can do. You have to do the opposite when you make that step up; work harder and breathe less. I let myself down a bit."
Dimitrov was a junior Wimbledon champion
A few niggling injuries added to Dimitrov's frustration and, with his ranking stuck in the mid 300s, it appeared his promising career might be drifting. As he found out, potential does not win you many prizes in the cruel world of the ATP Tour - for every Federer or Stefan Edberg, who collected men's Grand Slams to go with their junior titles, there is a Martin Lee - the Briton who topped the boys' rankings in the mid 1990s but did not get above number 94 as a man.
So, what changed for Dimitrov to spark the dramatic upturn in his fortunes? Firstly, it was his coach. Peter McNamara replaced Lundgren in June, and sparked a remarkable run that saw 49 wins and only 13 defeats in the remainder of the year.
Dimitrov says he learned a lot from Lundgren and leaving him was not an easy decision, but it has certainly paid off. He is reluctant to discuss exactly what McNamara has got him doing differently but hinted it is his mental approach where the improvements have been made.
"He definitely hasn't tried to alter my game," Dimitrov laughs. "That was not the main issue! We have tried to work on my consistency and the details that shape the whole picture. We have our way of working, but we have to keep that private, right? We have had such a great start and we are going to carry on in the same way."
McNamara might be the man who has got Dimitrov focused and firing on all cylinders but it is still his father, Dimitar, a tennis coach back in Bulgaria, who he consults if he has a problem with any of his shots.
"I always call my dad when I need him, whether it is during a tournament or other times when I need some details regarding my technique because he was the one who showed me everything," Dimitrov added.
"I was three when I picked up a racquet properly for the first time and five when I started playing every day. That became my work, my life, my love."
He also continues to count on the Patrick Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Paris for support. Dimitrov moved there when he was 16, after two years in Barcelona working with Andy Murray's old coach Pato Alvarez, who remains a big influence too.
"I had to grow up very quickly when I went to Spain at 14," Dimitrov stated. "It is tough when you are living on your own and learning everything yourself. But it was good for me, actually - I figured a lot of things out myself and made my own decisions. I got through a lot of difficult times."
The last six months haven't been completely plain sailing either. Dimitrov had an off-court altercation with umpire Daniel Infanger in Helsinki at the end of November after losing to Ricardo Berankis in the semi-finals of his last tournament of 2010, landing himself a 2,000 euro fine and the threat of a suspension.
A clearly contrite Dimitrov did not try to make any excuses for his behaviour when I brought the incident up. "I made a mistake and I am learning from it," he said. "I have apologised to all the people - I have written to everyone involved, admitting I made a mistake and it won't happen again. Now I have moved on and I am looking forward to 2011."
It promises to be an exciting year. Dimitrov says his first goal for the next 12 months is staying injury free but the plan for the man nicknamed 'G-Force' is to maintain the recent momentum he has built up as he tests himself at a higher level.
From January, he will start playing on the ATP World Tour, a big step up from those Challenger events he has been cleaning up at, and Grand Slams are beckoning too - his current ranking is good enough to earn him direct entry into the Australian Open at the end of that month.
It is all part of the learning curve as far as Dimitrov is concerned, and he is looking forward to the next stage of his career. "Progress comes from playing more of those bigger tournaments, and maturing on court," he explained. "I might need a few years to figure things out but you learn from all the good players you are watching around you too - it will be a very interesting time."
Dimitrov Was Fined in Helsinki for Pushing the Umpire
As a result of attacking an umpire at the Challenger in Helsinki last Friday Grigor Dimitrov has been charged €2000 and may expect other punishments. The Bulgarianis reported to have attacked umpire Daniel Infanger away from the court after the semifinal loss to Richard Berankis. The director of the competition said that the Association of Tennis Professional could yet impose a more severe punishment on the Bulgarian player after examining the case.
Antti Aine, the President of the Finnish umpire's association, said extremely critically:"The immunity of the umpire is a sacred thing in sports. You can disagree with calls but this was way out of line”.
Although Grigor almost secured his stright main draw entry of Australian Open by reaching No 106 of the ATP ranking a suspension could possibly endanger Dimitrov’s place.
Australian Open 2011: Grigor Dimitrov forgets teenage troubles to aim for stars
Tennis is a simple game for intelligent people, according to Grigor Dimitrov, the sport’s highest-ranked teenager, and a Bulgarian with the sort of hyper-confidence that might just propel him towards the elite.
And yet intelligent people can do stupid things, and for all the excitement about Dimitrov’s future, you can put your fingers in your ears and there is still no avoiding the white noise of controversy about an incident in his recent past.
He came off court in Helsinki at his final tournament of last season and shoved an umpire in the chest with both hands.
Despite the threatening, provocative behaviour from John McEnroe, Serena Williams and others over the years, they never touched an official.
Dimitrov, who at 19 is the most gifted of a new generation of players who could soon be challenging Andy Murray for grand slam titles, is extremely sorry for what he did.
For every confident prediction that Dimitrov has been making — that he intends to break into the top 50 this season, that he has the talent to win multiple grand slam titles, that he sees himself as a future world No 1 — he has had to make a couple of apologies for how he behaved in Finland.
Dimitrov has been fined and now he should be forgiven. Whenever anyone now describes Dimitrov as 'dangerous’, it should be in relation to his abilities on court, not whether he can control his emotions near umpires.
“It was a mistake what I did, and I have really learned from it,” said Dimitrov, who is ranked 108 in the world. “I should not have done it, and I have apologised.
"I will never do anything like that again, or even think about doing anything like that. I want to put that in the past, though, and move on.”
Nicknamed 'Prime-Time’, Dimitrov is not someone who intends to spend his tennis life in the margins. Soon he could be best known for his shot-making, not for the hoo-ha in Helsinki. As a junior, Dimitrov won the boys’ title at Wimbledon and the US Open and held the No 1 ranking.
Peter Lundgren, who is Dimitrov’s former coach, and who also used to work with Roger Federer, once said of the Eastern European that he was more advanced than the Swiss had been at the same age, and that is not the sort of comment that is easily forgotten in the world’s locker-rooms and players’ lounges.
Perhaps it will be at this month’s Australian Open, which starts next Monday, that Dimitrov will announce his talent in style, as he is just one place away from gaining direct acceptance into the main draw, meaning that he needs one withdrawal to go into the pot. He could also go through qualifying.
Whatever happens at Melbourne Park, Dimitrov has big plans. “I definitely believe I can be the world No 1, that’s my main goal. I believe in my abilities, as when I get things right, things happen for me.
"I really believe that I can be the No 1, but for that to happen I probably need to win a couple of grand slams, and they are not going to fall from the sky. It is going to take time, and I need to keep working and improving my shots,” said Dimitrov, who spent the off season training in the Mauritius sunshine.
“I have a lot of goals for this season, and the most important is to stay healthy, but I think I can at least get into the top 50 this year.”
There are no obvious weaknesses in Dimitrov’s game. “It would be difficult to pick out one shot as my main strength, as I like all my shots, and I can do anything on any surface.
"In the future, I would like to be more creative and to do more of the unexpected on court. I can play on grass – when I won Junior Wimbledon, that was an unbelievable feeling, I could not believe that I had won the tournament as Wimbledon is like the holy place of tennis. I was the first Bulgarian to win a junior grand slam title,” he said.
Only six months ago, Dimitrov was outside the top 300. Changing his coach — firing Lundgren and hiring Peter McNamara — had quite an effect.
“Changing coach was a tough period but Peter has really helped me,” he said. “Peter didn’t change a lot of things. It has just been things such as having smarter practice sessions, and everything has been a learning curve.
“With Peter, everything started happening for me. I was winning and winning and winning. I went on a sensational run. It is hard for teenagers to make the breakthrough into the top 100, as everyone at the top level has played so many more matches, and has more experience.”
It was Dimitrov’s father who told him that tennis is a simple game for intelligent people.
“Those words are always in my head when I’m in a tough situation,” he said, “and he’s right, tennis is simple, but you have to think fast.”
Grigor bardzo pewnie przebrnął kwalifikacje do Australian Open 2011. W nagrodę Bułgar zanotował swój kolejny skok rankingowy, nieznaczny ale zawsze. 19-letni bułgarski tenisista jest dziś 105 tenisistą świata:
104 Bolelli, Simone (ITA) 532
105 Dimitrov, Grigor (BUL) 518
106 Zeballos, Horacio (ARG) 517
A Grigor Dimitrov Moment
The two girls smiled at each other. Then they looked backed at Court 10, at the player in the yellow shirt with the silky one-handed backhand and the very familiar service motion and the easy way with a forehand winner. Then the girls looked at each other again. They smiled again. They were having a Grigor Dimitrov moment.
The Grigor Dimitrov Moment: It sounds like a bad lounge-band name. I can see it now: A tall man with a receding hairline and a black goatee is hunched over a saxophone in a half-empty basement bar in Philly or Prague. But no, a Dimitrov Moment is what we got in Melbourne on Monday. In front of those two smitten girls, as well as a fair number of tennis cognescenti, the 19-year-old Bulgarian won his first match at a Grand Slam by routing Andrey Golubev, an otherwise perfectly respectable pro who is currently ranked No. 36 in the world. It wasn’t just that Dimitrov beat Golubev like a drum, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2; it’s that he outclassed him. He was the elegant tennis aristocrat slumming it for a few moments with the clumsy hoi polloi.
Players win their first matches at Grand Slams all the time, of course. But Dimitrov hasn’t been just another player since 2008. That year he won junior Wimbledon and the U.S. Open back to back, turned pro, and was promptly pushed into the pole position among the contenders for Next Big Tennis Thing.
And that’s as far as he got until today. The two years since Dimitrov’s junior triumphs have been hard ones. He was lost on the Challenger circuit, playing in Thailand one week and Geneva the next. He dropped out of the Top 200. The early talk of a touring entourage faded. When I spoke to him by phone from somewhere between Katmandu and Timbuktu last year, he sounded humbled. “I just have to keep going and hope it turns around,” he said.
It turned around in 2010. Dimitrov began working with former doubles standout Peter McNamara of Australia. He won six Challengers. He moved into the Top 200, then the Top 150, then up to 105, which is where he started this tournament. He’s not talking about hopes anymore; he’s talking about goals. Big goals.
“We’re aiming high," Dimitrov said today. "We want to be in the Top 40 by the end of the year." Maybe he’ll get the old entourage together again, too.
What changed? Nothing too specific or miraculous, it seems. “I’m more mature on court now,” Dimitrov said. “I have to accept it didn’t come as fast. I know I have to take it step by step.”
But the new confidence hasn’t vanquished the old frustration just yet. Dimitrov shoved an umpire at a Challenger in Helsinki last month, but was not suspended.
“It’s something that happened,” said Dimitrov, who described himself as “not an easy person” all the time. “It will never happen again.”
The talent, the temper, the early professional disappointment. Does this lineup remind you of someone else? Yes, Dimitrov appears to be taking a page or two from Roger Federer. Make that three or four or five pages. The Bulgarian says Federer is his hero, and he’s clearly spent a good deal of time watching him play.
The similarities in their games are uncanny. The relaxed start and sudden upward burst on the serve. The long extension on the backhand, and the extra, easy snap of topspin on the forehand. Dimitrov even sets up for his backhand the same way as Federer. Both of them, when they have the time, turn their bodies to the net and place their feet far apart for balance.
It’s one thing to copy the mechanics. It’s another to get the results—to catch the spirit rather than just the letter of the Federer law. Dimitrov does that too, and he did it today to devastating effect. Both Dimitrov and Federer seem to play farther from their torsos than their opponents, with a sweep to their strokes that lets them get more of their arms and bodies into their shots—they get out their own way. Golubev was handcuffed by Dimitrov’s inside-out forehand, as well as his down the line backhand. At 4-2 in the third set, Dimitrov hit three returns of serve that landed on the baseline, and which Golubev dumped into the net. After the last one, Golubev shrugged as if to say, “Forget it. Nothing I can do about that. Get me out of here.”
Dimitrov moves with something of the ease of Federer, and as I said, his way of playing has that loose, high-class Federer sheen (whether he's actually as fast is yet to be determined). This begs the question: Did Dimitrov borrow some of his talent from Federer? Or did his mimicry hold him back from developing what would have been his own genius? You can’t just move like Federer because you want to.
Would the younger man have been as good—or maybe better—if he had never seen the older man play? Would we all be better if we could make our games as close to Federer’s as possible? It’s one thing to copy a player’s general style. Bjorn Borg launched a million baseliners. It’s another to copy—or internalize; Dimitrov understandably doesn’t like the copycat label—the idiosyncrasies of one man’s genius. John McEnroe had no imitators.
None of this means the Bulgarian is any kind of genius; Frank Dancevic's game is also reminiscent of Federer's, and he's never cracked the Top 20. What matters for tennis fans is this: If you like to watch Roger Federer play, you’re going to like to watch Grigor Dimitrov. If, like me, you love Federer’s game but have gotten tired of his Sire Jacket lordliness over the years, you’ll like him even more, because it’s going to be a while before Dimitrov lords it over anyone. I spent a set at Court 10 watching Dimitrov-Golubev today, long enough to see that it wasn’t going to be a competitive match. So I traipsed to the other side of Melbourne Park, which is not around the corner, to watch some of Victor Troicki, another guy I’m interested this season. Or at least I thought I was interested in him. Compared to Dimitrov, Troicki’s game seemed limited and earthbound. So I got up and made the trek back to Court 10, just for the pleasure of seeing the kid play.
The two girls were there, and they were still smiling. So was Dimitrov. When he won the last point, he pumped his fist and flashed a wide grin. Then he looked at his coaches and smiled some more. He couldn’t stop smiling. He’d won a Grand Slam match. It was a Grigor Dimitrov moment to savor.
Dzisiejsze zwycięstwo nad Golubevem (61 64 62) to nie tylko 1 wygrany mecz wielkoszlemowy w karierze Bułgara. Wynik ten otworzył mu także drzwi do Top-100 i prawdopodobnie teże do Top-90. :o
Takie pytanie mam do osób przeglądajacych rozmaite zagraniczne fora. ;)
Jak jest postrzegany na nich Grigor? Może sobie pozwolić na bycie zaledwie gwiazdą rozgrywek, czy musi być rycerzem na białym koniu, który przyjedzie i zbawi tudzież ocali tenis? :angel:
Sydney napisał:
Takie pytanie mam do osób przeglądajacych rozmaite zagraniczne fora. ;)
Jak jest postrzegany na nich Grigor? Może sobie pozwolić na bycie zaledwie gwiazdą rozgrywek, czy musi być rycerzem na białym koniu, który przyjedzie i zbawi tudzież ocali tenis? :angel:
Myślę, że raczej to pierwsze. Jest sporo emocjonalnie reagujących Bułgarów, dla których Grisha to jak dar od niebios. Generalnie jednak tematy oparte o Rogera i Rafę dominują niemal na każdym większym forum tenisowym. ;)
Ja jednak myślę, że jak pokona kilku klasowych graczy, czy wygra jakiś większy turniej, zacznie się opcja numer dwa. :P On i Tomik już niebawem będą musieli dźwigać na barkach ciężar bycia potencjalnymi sukcesorami Feda i Rafy.
Za incydent w trakcie challengera w Helsinkach Grigor oprócz kary w wysokości 2000$ dostał także 3 tygodnie zawieszenia na rozgrywki ATP. Z tego powodu nie wystąpił w turnieju w Chennai oraz nie pojawi się podczas imprezy w Johannesburgu.
Najbliższe plany startowe:
Rotterdam (kwalifikacje)
Marsylia (kwalifikacje)
Dubaj (kwalifikacje)
31.01.2011 - Dimitrov w Top-100.
Grigor Dimitrov, po udanym Australian Open (przebrnął kwalifikacje, przegrał w 2 rundzie Turnieju Głównego), po raz pierwszy w karierze awansował do Top-100 rankingu ATP. Bułgar jest dziś 85 tenisistą świata. Brawo. ;)
21.02.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 81
28.02.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 78
Mikroskopijny, ale jednak progres. W kolejnym tygodniu też może mieć miejsce nieznaczny awans. :)
Grigor zapowiedział, że nie zagra w marcu w Pucharze Davisa i nie pojedzie do Indian Wells. W tym i następnym tygodniu zagra w turniejach rangi challenger:
28.02 - Cherbourg
07.03 - Sarajewo
Następnie:
21.03 - Miami (prawdopodobnie kwalifikacje, jest 9 na liście ALT)
04.04 - ATP Houston
07.03.2011
Grigor wygrał challenger w Cherbourgu, dzięki czemu awansował na 71 miejsce w rankingu.
Dimitrov zwyciężył w turnieju rangi challenger po raz 4 w karierze:
2011 Cherbourg
2010 Genewa, Bangkok, Bangkok-2.
Ceremonia wręczenia nagród:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBNTUHZR … r_embedded
W challengerach gwiazdor, w ATP na razie niewiele może zdziałać. Myśle jednak że prędzej czy później nastąpi w tym polu przełom i zacznie grać dobrze w rozgrywkach ATP.
21.03.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 70
25.04.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 69
2.05.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 66
Warto zaznaczyć, że w Monachium Grigor odnotował swój pierwszy QF w karierze, na szczeblu ATP Tour. ;)
09.05.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 64
16.05.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 63
Najlepszego Grigor!
Bułgar kończy dziś 20 lat, przestaje być nastolatkiem i chyba powinien się pośpieszyć z aklimatyzacją w ATP Tour. ;)
20.06.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 62
04.07.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 60