You can rarely say about an athlete at the absolute top of his sport that no one dislikes them. This is especially true in tennis, a sport where fan attachment to players can reach unmatched levels of intensity. However, Grigor Dimitrov is a very popular man amongst the neutrals thanks to his gentlemanly behaviour on and off the court and a stylish brand of tennis.
If that weren’t enough, he’s also a motivational story and a testament to never give up on your dreams. Yes, he has not yet reached the pinnacle of the sport, winning a Grand Slam title. Many believed that train had left the station. But Botic van de Zandschulp and Alexei Popyrin produced massive upsets back-to-back to leave the draw wide open. So is this Dimitrov’s golden chance to become a Grand Slam champion?
The road back to the big stage
Dimitrov reached the top 10 in August 2017 and stayed for a year, peaking at #3. But then, his form fell off. His 2017/2018 level was nowhere to be seen for nearly six years. Few could have imagined that, at 33, Dimitrov would find himself back inside the top 10. Much less that he would ever have Grand Slam chances again. However, he’s now looking sharper than ever, and finally in control of his considerable talents. He didn’t drop a set en route to the round of 16, where he managed to fend off the ghosts of the past and outlast perennial top-10 Rublev in a fifth set after surrendering a 2-0 lead. But, perhaps more important are the two unexpected gifts he received. Title-favourites Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are out.
The hurdles before the finish line
With three semifinals played already in his career , the first step will be to overcome that hurdle. To reach the last four, Dimitrov will need to get past the red-hot Frances Tiafoe and a raucous New York crowd eager to see an American man finally win the US Open again. But he is the favourite, and it is an opportunity he cannot waste. After that, the road gets steeper, as he would face either another American, Taylor Fritz, or most likely, Alexander Zverev. One of the better players yet to win a Slam, the German also faces his best chance since his loss to Dominic Thiem in the final in New York four years ago. It is far from an easy draw, but he’s avoiding the four favorites, and this is a bracket he can certainly come out on top of.
But in comparison to the past, Dimitrov does not have to beat any Grand Slam winners to reach Sunday’s final. At Wimbledon in 2014, he had to face Djokovic, and lost in four after a battling display. In Australia 2017, he fared no better, coming up against Rafael Nadal, and losing in a deciding set after a thriller. And at this same venue in 2019, he faced Daniil Medvedev, who he could potentially meet again in the final, and lost in three sets. It seems to safe to say this is the best chance Dimitrov has ever had to reach a major final.
While both Medvedev and Jannik Sinner—the most likely finalists from the other side of the draw — are forces to be reckoned with, if Dimitrov had won any of his previous semifinals, the Bulgarian would have faced either Roger Federer or Nadal. With all due respect to the Italian and the Russian, every tennis player would rather have that chance against them rather than the great Swiss and Spaniard. Good chances at that, since a first-time Grand Slam finalist Dimitrov would be hyper-confident and playing blistering tennis after navigating such a draw. Also worth noting, being the underdog in the final would help Dimitrov, who has not always dealt well with pressure.
It is safe to say that, as unbelievable as this might have sounded a couple of years ago, Dimitrov, at 33 years old, is finally putting everything together and living up to his potential. And, while he is still three very tough matches away from glory, it remains true that he is standing before his golden chance.
Main photo credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
