Being compared to one of the greatest players in the sports history was an honour that Grigor Dimitrov never wanted. Yet for him, he was slammed with the nicknamed ‘baby Fed’ for the similarities in his game with Roger Federer.
LONDON: This season has been one filled with milestones for Grigor Dimitrov. He won his first Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati, climbed to a ranking high of sixth in the world and is currently playing in his first ATP World Tour Finals tournament.
Continuing his trend in good fortunes, the Bulgarian was relentless in his 6-0, 6-2, thrashing of David Goffin at the O2 Arena in London. Dictating the rallies and bossing his opponent around the court, he won nine consecutive games at the start of the match. Making the world No.8 look extremely ordinary in a tournament with a prize money pool of $8 million. Inevitably there were wobbles on route to the win, but it didn’t derail him from the comprehensive victory. Made up of two aces and 18 winners compared to Goffin’s abysmal tally of 28 unforced errors.
“I was thinking, you get a few days out of the year that whatever you touch, turns to gold and that was the first set. You have days like that, you work for those days, it is nice when it comes in such an occasion, I am humbled to win that match.” Said Dimitrov, who has qualified for the semifinals of the tournament.
Dimitrov’s rise in London can be argued as something that has long been in the making. Throughout the early stages of his career, there was constant comparisons between him and 19-time grand slam champion Federer. Even though both players repeatedly called for the nickname to be erased. Then a year ago, doubts were raised about his ability to rise to the top after plummeting to a low of 40th in the world before he managed to turn his career around.
“I would think he’s just more comfortable this time around. He feels, probably, that he belongs there, he deserves his place there.“ Federer said of Dimitrov on Tuesday.
“It’s like when you get older, you feel like you’ve had to work for it. The first time around, it’s like, it just happened.”
The evolution of Dimitrov is something Goffin also knows well. Their rivalry covers seven years with the Bulgarian dominating their head-to-head 7-1 (counting lower level tournaments). Today’s result was the most one-sided outcome of them all.
“I played Grigor so many times. I always had some tough match against him. Sometimes I didn’t find the solutions, like today. Sometimes I found some solutions, like this year in Rotterdam.” – Goffin
Comparisons proven irrelevant
Relishing in the best season of his career so far with a total of 46 match wins and three titles, Dimitrov is focused solely on himself. As for those past comparisons, he chooses to ignore them. Setting out his own path on the tour.
“I think the comparisons and all this, they don’t really matter any more.” He said during his press conference. “As I said before,I’m really looking after my game and what I’m doing right.”
“I think one of the wrong things you can do is to try to follow somebody else or try to follow in the footsteps, the things that they have done.”
The decisive statements from the Bulgarian coincides with him feeling more at ease with himself. He credits his team for elevating his game. Something that he continues to praise them for.
“I think right now I feel like I have a solid team, kind of a solid house behind me. Everything is compact to the point I feel comfortable with. I don’t think I’m sacrificing anything in my life right now.” He explained.
At the age of 26, there is always the possibility that Dimitrov’s career could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. A motion when a statement is said it eventually comes true. He will never be able to match the achievements of Federer, but it doesn’t mean that he won’t be able to triumph in the big tournaments like him.
Dimitrov is now his own person on the tour and no longer plays in the shadows of others. That in itself is worthy of a celebration.
