Grigor Dimitrov has yet to reach a major final, and that won't change at the 2024 US Open, as an injury stopped him in his quarter-final match.
The Bulgarian player was taking on Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-final. The match came after a grueling fourth-round battle for Dimitrov, in which he had to play five sets to beat his good friend Andrey Rublev, who was very angry during the match, 6-3, 7-6(3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3.
In the quarter-final match, which was the last match played on the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Tuesday's schedule, he lost the opening set to Tiafoe 3-6 and fell behind 1-4 in the second set, visibly struggling physically.
However, out of nowhere, he was able to produce an inspired effort to recover the one-break deficit in the second set and win it in the tie-break, 7-5, despite hitting back-to-back double faults when leading 6-3 in the tie-break.
Still, the physical issues seemingly returned in the third set, which he lost 3-6, and it was already then that he signaled that he likely wouldn't be able to finish the match, and even a medical time-out between the sets didn't help him.
Ultimately, the former World No. 3 on the ATP Tour retired when down 1-4 in the fourth set, sending Tiafoe into the semi-finals of the tournament. Following the match, he explained what the issue was troubling him.
"Yeah, I think it's a combination from everything. Clearly my rehab process is a little bit slower than before. I mean, I felt a couple of things in prior the match. So yeah, I think there's really no point to talk about that. It's the game. It's just the game, and I need to keep my head up."
"As I said, I just need to reassess a little bit of certain things that I can change. Can maybe do a little bit better. Also physically the way that I have been preparing. But again, given all the circumstances from Montreal up until now, I mean, I wasn't really sure I'd be even able to do, like, as well as I wanted to do."
"And again, that's what I'm saying, I take this quarterfinal any time. But again, I don't want to discredit the match that also Frances played. I mean, he also pushed me a lot to try to work extra, so, I mean, definitely deserves the credit. Yeah, we're moving forward."
It was clear that Dimitrov didn't want to take anything away from his opponent, who has played great tennis to find himself in the semi-finals of the major for the second time in his career.
That's one less than the Bulgarian has in his tennis career, however, while Tiafoe will have a chance to reach the final at the US Open, Dimitrov has never done that.
On top of that, he has been bothered by physical issues a lot recently, retiring from his matches at the 2021 Roland Garros, the 2021 US Open, the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, and recently concluded 2024 Wimbledon Championships.
During his post-match press conference, he was further pressed about the issue, but he wasn't able to pinpoint exactly what the problem was. He only knew that it was an injury that accumulated with all the physical effort he put into reaching the quarter-final stages.
"It accumulates. You just never know, like, how, you know, with the stress, with the amount of effort we're putting into the game. As I said, last couple of days have not been the easiest at all."
"So I wish I could pinpoint something to give you more on that, but at the moment it is what it is. That's why I'm saying I just need to brush that one off right now and focus for what's ahead. A lot of good things around the corner."
Dimitrov was also asked whether he considered finishing the match or if retirement was a necessary option. Like any tennis player, he wanted to finish the match, especially since he was forced to retire also at the last major that he played, but his body simply didn't allow him to.
"You know, it's the second slam in a row that this happened, so, I mean, what can I say? I think I have enough experience in myself to know where it's no point to continue any further on that, and I think it's just simple as that."
"Do I like doing it? No, but that's that. I mean, that's what I'm saying. Just real, like, accumulation throughout the days, and I think that's why it's clearly not an easy pill to swallow right now."
0 Comments