There is a 50/50 chance that Grigor Dimitrov will be ready to play at next week’s Sofia Open, according to his manager Georgi Stoimenov.
The world No.4 recently admitted that he was unsure about participating in his home tournament next week due to ongoing pain in his shoulder. At a press conference in Sofia, Dimitrov revealed that he has been suffering from the issue in recent weeks and has undergone tests in Monaco.
“I’m expecting the results in the coming days and I hope that I’ll be able to fight again but I don’t want to make promises. I never want to play in a tournament if I’m not 100 percent fit.” He said on Saturday.
Providing an update to Dimitrov’s condition, Stoimenov has told newspaper Bulgaria Today that the pain isn’t due to injury. Instead, he says that it has been caused by overworking. It is understood that the Bulgarian first started to feel the issue during his second round match against MacKenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. Dimitrov reached the quarter-finals of the event before losing to Kyle Edmund.
“Thіѕ іѕ not an іnјurу,” Stoimenov explained. “Іt іѕ pain that comes from a workload, and he has been thoroughly examined, and the results will come back at the end of the week.”
During his brief return back home, Dimitrov held a tennis session with some children in Haskovo. According to local reports, he refrained from hitting any overhead shots during the entire session. He then returned back to Monaco on Sunday night to rest.
“In Monaco, Grigor will undergo several rehabilitation procedures.” His manager Confirmed. “He will wait for the medical decision (concerning his shoulder).”
Dimitrov currently lies over 5000 points adrift from the world No.1 ranking. Last year he claimed four ATP titles, including the prestigious World Tour Finals in London. Guided by coached Dani Vallverdu, he has started 2018 with a win-loss record of 6-2 in his first two tournaments.
Bulgaria Today has also reported that in a worst case scenario, Dimitrov could miss more tournaments beyond next week if his medical results identify a problem. Although there is currently no evidence to say that this will happen.
The Sofia Open will start next Monday at the Arena Armeec. Dimitrov is currently the only top 20 player entered into the event.
