In his post-match press conference after his second-round win over Australia’s Rinky Hijikata, a reporter told Grigor Dimitrov that he was a “young 33.”
He didn’t mind that at all.
“I like that. No one’s said that—a young 33,” he said with a smile.
A quick glance at the stat sheet might lead some to believe that the Bulgarian is a tad long in the tooth. He is playing a Grand Slam main draw for the 56th time, after all, but his passion for tennis and for embracing a career that he still believes is developing is unrelenting.
When it comes to Grand Slams, Dimitrov is still like a kid in a candy store—in love with the possibilities.
“I think each year that passes, each year that I play in any of the big stadiums, I’m so appreciative of those moments,” he said, adding, “I know things won’t last forever.”
Father time has scored some epic wins over tennis legends in recent years, starting with the retirement of Roger Federer and Serena Williams in 2022. 2024 has been rough, as well, as US Open fans said goodbye to former champion Dominic Thiem and two-time quarterfinalist Diego Schwartzman. But Dimitrov, who will turn 34 next May, doesn’t want to think about the end.
Not yet, at least.
“I’m trying not even to go there,” the former world No. 3 said. “Clearly I’m closer to the end than the beginning. I understand that part, but I feel like I have so much in front of me.”
To be fair, Dimitrov doesn’t have anything to worry about. He’s a freak of nature, a physical phenom who moves with explosive artistry and executes every shot in the book. To watch him is to believe: 33 is the new 23.
We turn to the stats once again to find that Dimitrov is in the midst of a career renaissance. In January, he won his first title since 2017 in Brisbane, which ended a 2,240-day titleless drought. In March, he upset Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev en route to the Miami final. The experience pushed him into the Top 10 for the first time since November 2018.
It’s a product of his hard work and self-belief that he is now angling for his first year-end Top-10 finish in seven years. Age is just a number, and hard yards are a way of life.
“I’ve never shied away from work,” the nine-time ATP title winner said. “In the end, it comes down to your own attitude, to your own way of pushing yourself and believing in yourself, because no one can do that for you. No one can save you from yourself if you don’t push yourself.
“I think I’m in a good place, but there’s still more to want from myself and for my career.”
It has been a year of breakthroughs for Dimitrov, who completed the set of Grand Slam quarterfinals at the French Open in June, qualifying for the last eight in his 14th appearance on the Parisian clay.
He hopes to continue the trend here in Flushing Meadows, where he owns a 19-13 lifetime record that includes a win over Roger Federer that put him in the semifinals in 2019.
Five years later, still thriving, the Bulgarian doesn’t see any reason to stop dreaming about winning major titles.
“Later on in the tournaments, there is always a chance, and this is ultimately what I want,” he said. “It’s kind of my last bit in my own sport. Some players, they win like 20 Grand Slams, and you want to get yours.”
With his sights set on the future, Dimitrov still believes his best chance is his next chance.
“That’s ultimately the pinnacle for every tennis player,” he concluded. “I’ve been very close on quite a few occasions and fallen short on so many occasions, so you can say that there’s quite a bit of room for me to not only improve, but to be better in those moments. Why not go further?”
