By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, April 1, 2024
Few champions have skilled Huge 3 brilliance fairly like Grigor Dimitrov.
Former world No. 3 Dimitrov has confronted the Huge 3 in main matches—and has each scar tissue and classes realized to indicate for it.
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Dimitrov owns a mixed 3-33 profession report vs. Huge 3 champions, together with a 1-14 report vs. Rafael Nadal, a 1-12 mark towards Novak Djokovic and a 1-7 head-to-head vs. Roger Federer.
So who’s the hardest Huge 3 champion to face on the absolute peak of his powers?
It is the Swiss Maestro, says Dimitrov.
Some champions pressure you to dig down deep, prime Federer was so formidable, he made the Bulgarian need to dig an escape hatch out on courtroom.
“I do know for me I used to be going to say the hardest participant that I’ve performed at his absolute prime was Roger,” Dimitrov advised the media in Miami after bowing to Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-1 within the Miami Open ultimate. “Simply too humorous, truly. I bear in mind just a few instances even at Wimbledon, as soon as I bear in mind it I needed to dig a gap and disappear (smiling).
“I have never had that feeling but towards anybody, so I’ll depart it at that, I assume. Yeah, most likely that is going to be the participant I felt like, yeah, I suffered essentially the most with.”
The 32-year-old Dimitrov defeated Federer of their ultimate assembly within the 2019 US Open quarterfinals. The pair have since reunited as bandmates within the One-Handed Backhand Boys Band.
When Dimitrov captured his largest profession title on the 2017 ATP Finals at London’s O2 Area, each Federer and Nadal have been within the elite eight-man subject although Dimitrov didn’t face both iconic champion en path to his undefeated sweep of the title. Nadal withdrew after bowing to David Goffin in his opener and Goffin upset Federer within the semifinals.
In a traditional conflict vs. the king of clay, Dimitrov pushed Nadal to 5 units in a 2017 Australian Open marathon match.
Pushed to the brink in a pulsating 4 hour, 56-minute conflict, Nadal fought off a dynamic Dimitrov, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-4, to achieve his twenty fourth Grand Slam ultimate in Melbourne.
World No. 1 Djokovic and Dimitrov are good associates and someday follow companions.
The Serbian celebrity fended off Dimitrov in a dramatic four-set 2014 Wimbledon semifinal when the Bulgarian was relationship Maria Sharapova, who sat in his help field for the match.
Whereas some would possibly level to the Bulgarian’s ignominious historical past towards the Huge 3 as a curse of being on the incorrect place on the incorrect time, Dimitrov says it is truly the precise reverse: He feels blessed to have battled the sport’s three biggest champions and for the teachings realized from these experiences.
“Completely the alternative, truly. Completely the alternative. Very fortunate,” Dimitrov advised the media in Miami.
Nothing however respect and admiration! 🤗@GrigorDimitrov speaks on taking part in towards the BIG FOUR!@rogerfederer @RafaelNadal @DjokerNole @andy_murray pic.twitter.com/BFDSi3e52s
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 30, 2024
“How usually you say I performed in an period towards the perfect gamers and you’ve got overwhelmed all of them?” Dimitrov mentioned, including that he’s saddened by the upcoming absence of the Huge 4 greater than he ever was by their presence.
“Personally, not having these guys round, it is just a little unhappy,” he mentioned. “I do not need to play them, do not get me incorrect, in the mean time, nevertheless it’s type of unhappy. I like watching them play. I like competing towards them, and you may all the time be taught one thing.
“I believe all through the years I’ve had so many quarterfinal matches and third-, fourth-round matches the place I needed to play towards them. However that additionally possibly formed me to have that psychological toughness and to do sure issues in a different way at that time in my profession, like them.”
Picture credit score: Brisbane Worldwide Fb