Still a “young 33”, Grigor Dimitrov matches belief with momentum at 2024 US Open

NEW YORK—Grigor Dimitrov is tired of being called a veteran. Think of him as a “young 33.”

“I like that!” the No. 9 seed said when hearing the descriptor in his post-match press conference. “That’s cool.”

Into the third round of the 2024 US Open—his 56th Grand Slam main draw—the former No. 3 is, in his own words, “closer to the end than the beginning,” but where contemporaries like Diego Schwartzman and Dominic Thiem hang up their racquets, Dimitrov remains in the hunt for new milestones in a career that already spans over a decade.

“A couple of other guys like Diego, Dominic, and they’re like, ‘Keep on going, man!’ I’m like ‘I am!’” he smiled.

“I’m appreciative of my own self that I’m still able to do that, and also to play at the high level.”

That high level hasn’t always come easy, though his self-belief has never wavered. Dimitrov has long spoke confidently of his potential even when there was little on court to back it up.

“I think it's super doable for me,” Dimitrov said in 2022 of a return to the Top 10. He would go on to lose seven of his next nine matches and end the year barely inside the Top 30.

But something changed at the start of 2024. The “hard yards” he put in with physical coach Sebastian Durand helped him kick off the season with a title run in Brisbane—his first since winning the ATP Finals in 2017.

“I think, for me, that set the tone a little bit for the season,” said Dimitrov. “I think you just realize things, not only throughout the season but also with every match you play, what the important things are.

“I never shied away from work, but I’m putting myself in the best possible place to perform. In the end, it all comes down to your own attitude, your own way of pushing and believing in yourself. No one can save you from that if you don’t push yourself. This all comes from yourself and I think I’ve been able to kind of do that a little bit more. Of course, all my team and everyone that is close around me as been helping me on that end but ultimately, I’m the one who makes those decisions.”

I’ve set myself for high standards and I’ve set my goals a long time ago, so I want to keep on going until I cannot anymore. While I still have a racquet in my hand, I have a chance. Grigor Dimitrov

Buoyed by form that matched his feel, he reached the Miami Open final and completed a set of Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances in Paris. He comes to Flushing Meadows at his highest ranking in six years, still eager to make good on the “Baby Fed” nickname bestowed on him when he was an even younger 20-something.

“Some players win, like 20 Grand Slams, and you still want to get yours,” Dimitrov sighed, speaking softly to a small room of rapt journalists. “That’s ultimately the goal and the pinnacle for every tennis player. I’ve been very close on quite a few occasions and fallen short on so many occasions. You can say there’s quite a bit of room for me to not only improve but be better in those moments, and why not go further?”

Key to his improvements has been a commitment to routine, preferring a Ben Franklin approach that both simplifies his days and optimizes his on-court efficacy.

“I’m an early bird, so 11 o’clock’s perfect for me,” said Dimitrov, who opened play Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (4) win over Rinky Hijikata on Stadium 17.

“Today, I was very happy: I woke up at 6:30, had a little coffee, got in the car and came here, had a little breakfast, did all the things I had to do, and just went to play. You know what time you’re going to play. It’s warm, but either way, I think when I played Roger it was very late at night.

“Don’t get me wrong. I can be a night owl if you want me to,” he added with a laugh. “I’m very good at adapting to things, I guess…When I was younger, none of that actually bothered me. Now, I actually feel the ramifications of staying up past 12 o’clock, or not having food on time.”

Monitoring his sleep with an app and prone to mid-day naps, Dimitrov is healthy, wealthy and wise as he closes in on the second week, brimming with the belief that from this game, he can get all he ever wanted.

“I’ve set myself for high standards and I’ve set my goals a long time ago, so I want to keep on going until I cannot anymore.

“While I still have a racquet in my hand, I have a chance.”