Grigor Dimitrov facts for kids

In this article, the family name is Dimitrov.

Quick facts for kids
Grigor Dimitrov
Григор Димитров
Singles
Dimitrov in 2023 Washington Open
Native name	Григор Димитров Димитров
Country (sports)	Bulgaria
Residence	Monte Carlo, Monaco
Born	(1991-05-16) 16 May 1991 (age 34) Haskovo, Bulgaria
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Turned pro	May 2007
Plays	Right (one-handed backhand)
Coach	Daniel Vallverdu, Jamie Delgado
Prize money	US$30,385,342 15th all-time in earnings
Career record	476–302 (61.18%) (61.3%)
Career titles	9
Highest ranking	No. 3 (20 November 2017)
Current ranking	No. 21 (23 June 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	SF (2017)
French Open	QF (2024)
Wimbledon	SF (2014)
US Open	SF (2019)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2017)
Olympic Games	2R (2012)
Doubles
Career record	56–78 (41.79%)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 66 (26 August 2013)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	3R (2013)
French Open	2R (2013)
Wimbledon	2R (2011, 2013)
US Open	1R (2011)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French Open	1R (2011)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	20–4
Hopman Cup	RR (2012)

Grigor Dimitrov (born May 16, 1991) is a professional tennis player from Bulgaria. He has achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 3 in singles. This makes him the highest-ranked Bulgarian tennis player ever. He reached this top ranking after winning the ATP Finals in November 2017. Grigor has won nine singles titles on the ATP Tour.

Before becoming a professional, Dimitrov had a very successful junior career. He was ranked world No. 1 among junior players. He also won two major junior titles in a row: the 2008 Wimbledon Championships and the 2008 US Open. In October 2013, he made history by becoming the first Bulgarian man to win an ATP Tour singles title at the Stockholm Open. As of 2025, he holds the record for the longest active streak of playing in Grand Slam tournaments, with 58 appearances. By reaching the quarterfinals of the 2024 French Open, Dimitrov became one of only a few players born in the 1990s to reach the quarterfinals of all four Grand Slams and all nine Masters 1000 tournaments.

Grigor Dimitrov was named Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year in 2014 and 2017. He was the first tennis player to receive this award since it began in 1958. In 2017, he also won the Balkan Athlete of the Year award. In December 2024, he received the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for his fair play.

Getting Started in Tennis
Life Off the Court
Junior Tennis Success
- Junior Grand Slam Highlights
Professional Career Milestones
Playing for Bulgaria
- Davis Cup
- Olympics
Coaches and Training
How Grigor Plays Tennis
Tennis Gear and Sponsors
Awards and Recognition
Images for kids
See also

Getting Started in Tennis

Grigor Dimitrov was born in Haskovo, Bulgaria, in 1991. His father, Dimitar, was a tennis coach, and his mother, Maria, was a sports teacher and former volleyball player. Grigor first held a tennis racket when he was just three years old. By age five, he was playing tennis every day. His father was his first coach. When Grigor showed great talent in junior tournaments, it became clear he needed more advanced training. He turned professional at 16.

In 2007, Dimitrov joined the "Sanchez-Casal" academy. There, he trained under famous coaches like Emilio Sánchez. From 2009 to 2012, he trained at Patrick Mouratoglou's tennis academy in Paris, France.

Life Off the Court

Grigor Dimitrov speaks Bulgarian and English. He enjoys sports, cars, computers, and watches. Early in his career, people nicknamed him "Baby Fed." This was because his playing style, especially his forehand and one-handed backhand, looked a lot like Roger Federer's. Federer is ten years older and was already a tennis superstar.

Grigor's cousin, Alexander Vasilev, is also a tennis player. Alexander competes on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors.

Junior Tennis Success

Grigor won his first big junior title, the U14 European title, at 14. In 2006, he won the Orange Bowl U16 boys singles. He was later named the Eddie Herr International 2007 Rising Star.

In 2007, he was a finalist at the Orange Bowl U18 boys singles. He also reached the US Open doubles final with Vasek Pospisil.

Dimitrov as junior Wimbledon champion for 2008

In 2008, he reached the quarterfinals at the French Open. He then won Wimbledon without losing a single set, even with a shoulder injury. This win earned him a special entry into the 2009 Wimbledon men's tournament. His success continued at the US Open, which he won on September 7, 2008. After this win, Dimitrov announced he was ending his junior career to focus on professional tennis. On September 8, 2008, he became the junior world No. 1. He finished that year ranked No. 3 in junior tennis.

Junior Grand Slam Highlights

French Open: Quarterfinals (2008)
Wimbledon: Winner (2008)
US Open: Winner (2008)

Professional Career Milestones

Early Years: 2008-2012

Dimitrov started playing in men's events in 2008. He won his first professional title on clay in Barcelona. His first ATP Tour match win was at the Rotterdam Open in 2009. There, he upset world No. 23, Tomáš Berdych. In the next round, he played against world No. 1, Rafael Nadal, and lost in a close three-set match. He made his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon as a wildcard.

In 2010, Dimitrov won his first Challenger title at the Geneva Open Challenger. He also won two more Challenger titles in Bangkok. By the end of 2010, he was ranked No. 106 in the world. In 2011, he broke into the top 100, becoming the highest-ranked Bulgarian male tennis player ever. He reached his first ATP doubles final at the Eastbourne International. In 2012, he achieved his first win against a top-10 player, beating Tomáš Berdych at the Miami Open. He finished 2012 ranked world No. 48.

First ATP Title and Top 10 Debut: 2013-2014

In 2013, Dimitrov reached his first ATP singles final at the Brisbane International. He became the first Bulgarian player to earn over $1 million in prize money. At the Madrid Open, he achieved a big win by defeating world No. 1, Novak Djokovic. Later that year, at the Stockholm Open, Dimitrov won his first ATP title. He beat top seed David Ferrer in the final, becoming the first Bulgarian man in the Open Era to win such a title.

Dimitrov with the trophy at the Acapulco event

The year 2014 was a breakthrough. Dimitrov reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open. He then won his first ATP 500 title at the Acapulco event, beating Kevin Anderson. He also won his first clay-court title in Bucharest. At the Wimbledon Championships, he reached his first Grand Slam semifinal, defeating defending champion Andy Murray. This performance helped him enter the top 10 ATP rankings for the first time, reaching world No. 9. He finished 2014 as the Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year.

Continued Success and Major Title: 2015-2017

In 2015, Dimitrov reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. He also had a notable exhibition win against Roger Federer in New York. In 2016, he reached his seventh career final in Sydney. He also reached his third Masters semifinal in Cincinnati.

Dimitrov at the 2017 Washington Open

The 2017 season was his best yet. He started by winning the Brisbane International. He then reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, losing a thrilling five-set match to Rafael Nadal. He won his second title of the year at the Sofia Open in his home country. In August, he won his first Masters 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open, without losing a single set. This was a huge achievement. He qualified for the ATP Finals for the first time. He won the tournament, defeating David Goffin in the final, and finished the year as an undefeated champion. This victory made him world No. 3, his highest career ranking.

Recent Years: 2018-2025

Dimitrov at the 2018 Australian Open

In 2018, Dimitrov reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. He also made it to the final of the Rotterdam Open. He helped Team Europe win the Laver Cup.

In 2019, after dealing with a shoulder injury, Dimitrov had a great run at the US Open. Unseeded, he upset Roger Federer in the quarterfinals to reach his second Grand Slam semifinal. This was his first win against Federer. He finished the year strong, reaching the semifinals of the Paris Masters.

In 2020, he captained the Bulgarian team at the first 2020 ATP Cup. He also reached the fourth round of the French Open for the first time.

In 2021, Dimitrov reached his fourth quarterfinal at the Australian Open. He also had a fantastic run at Indian Wells, reaching the semifinals. He defeated world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev there, coming back from a set and a double-break down.

In 2022, he achieved his 350th career win at the 2022 Delray Beach Open. He reached the semifinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters and recorded his 30th top-10 win in Vienna.

Dimitrov at the 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters

In 2023, Dimitrov reached his first final since 2018 at the Geneva Open. He also reached the fourth round of the French Open and Wimbledon. He recorded his 400th career win at the 2023 Chengdu Open, becoming the first player born in the 1990s to reach this milestone. He had a strong finish to the year, reaching the final of the Paris Masters and returning to the top 15.

In 2024, Dimitrov started the season by winning his ninth career title at the Brisbane International. He reached his third Masters final at the 2024 Miami Open, where he defeated world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz. This win helped him return to the top 10 rankings for the first time since 2018. He also completed the career set of reaching quarterfinals at all nine Masters 1000 events and all four Grand Slams. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2024 French Open and 2024 US Open. He also recorded his 450th career win at the US Open.

In 2025, Dimitrov continued to play well. He became the player with the most wins in the history of the Brisbane International. He reached consecutive semifinals at the 2025 Miami Open. However, he faced some injuries during the year, leading to retirements from matches at the 2025 Australian Open, 2025 French Open, and 2025 Wimbledon Championships.

Playing for Bulgaria

Davis Cup

Dimitrov first played for Bulgaria in the Davis Cup in 2008 when he was 16. He helped his country get promoted to a higher division. He has continued to represent Bulgaria in the Davis Cup throughout his career.

Olympics

Dimitrov has represented Bulgaria at the Olympics twice. He played in London in 2012 and in Rio in 2016.

Coaches and Training

Grigor Dimitrov has worked with many coaches throughout his career. His father was his first coach. Later, he trained with famous coaches like Pato Alvarez and Peter Lundgren. Lundgren even said Dimitrov was "better than Federer was at his age."

He also trained at Patrick Mouratoglou's academy. In 2013, he hired Roger Rasheed, who helped him achieve great success. From 2016 to 2019, Daniel Vallverdu was his coach. Dimitrov has often said that Vallverdu helped him improve his mindset and play against top players. Since October 2022, Vallverdu has been coaching Dimitrov again.

How Grigor Plays Tennis

Dimitrov has a unique and exciting playing style. He is known for being very flexible and athletic on the court. Many people consider him one of the most talented players because he is comfortable playing from anywhere.

His forehand is powerful and accurate. He uses it to hit the ball hard and surprise his opponents. His backhand is hit with one hand and is very versatile. He can hit it with topspin, flat, or with a slice. John McEnroe, a tennis legend, has even called his backhand slice the best in the game.

Dimitrov has a strong serve that can reach speeds of up to 220 km/h (137 mph). His first serve often produces aces at important moments. He also uses a lot of topspin on his second serve, making it consistent.

One of the most praised parts of his game is his variety and flexibility. He has solid groundstrokes and a great touch at the net. He often uses tricky drop shots to catch opponents off guard. He is also incredibly fast and athletic, often sliding or even diving to reach difficult balls. His all-around play makes him a very stylish player to watch.

Dimitrov is also known for hitting trick shots, like the "tweener" (hitting the ball between his legs). He sometimes does this to entertain the crowd. Some of his most famous trick shots have been called among the best ever.

Early in his career, he was compared to Roger Federer because of their similar playing styles. This earned him the nickname "Baby Fed." Over time, he has shown his own unique style. He achieved his first win against Federer at the US Open in 2019.

Tennis Gear and Sponsors

Grigor Dimitrov uses a customized Wilson tennis racket. He is sponsored by Nike for his apparel and shoes. Since 2023, he has also been an ambassador for Lacoste. In 2024, he became a global brand ambassador for Payhawk, a software company. He has also had endorsement deals with companies like Rolex, Haagen Dazs, and American Express.