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U.S. OPEN

September 2, 2014

Grigor Dimitrov

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

G. MONFILS/G. Dimitrov
7-5, 7-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What are your thoughts about the match? How tough of a fight was it out there today?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I think, first of all, it was a very poor match for me. I don't know. Where should I begin? Just a bad match for me. Didn't play as close to the way I wanted to, and I think it was a great stage for me to come out on there on the center court and perform my best. Just everything went the opposite way today. I don't have to be too down for that. Of course I have to give credit to GaÃ«l that he played a really good match, but I also did a lot of unforced errors and that cost a lot. 6-3 in the tiebreak, I had all odds on me. And it was just poor shot selection. Eventually I didn't execute at the right time.

Q. Obviously you're coming off a disappointing match and are disappointed in the result, but it's been a breakout US Open for you.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I mean, overall it's been a great US Open for me coming into that second week for the first time. I played exciting matches and played on all the big courts. Today I was happy to get out on Ashe and get the feel for the court. It's definitely different to play on that court. I take that as a good experience. But that doesn't help for the way I played today. I'm just disappointed. Just very simple.

Q. What are your thoughts specifically on what Monfils did especially well?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I think he defended when he had to. But if you think about it, I did a lot of unforced errors, especially with my forehand. He played very strongly on the good points, served well when he had to, and at break points he really defended well. We all know how -- he's playing well. He's playing well at the moment and moving well always. He's a tricky opponent. I must say I give all the credit to him today.

Q. What do you think during the match, because sometimes GaÃ«l looks very tired, but then two points after he plays incredible shots.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I don't think about that because he's been like that throughout all the matches and I think all the years. Again, I don't focus on my opponent. I'm always focusing on how I'm playing and what I can do better. Today I could only like focus only on me, because I was just playing bad tennis. I actually couldn't see what's gonna happen on the other side. I couldn't care less. Because everything I tried was just not going my way. I tried to find a way. Again, GaÃ«l, he's a great player. I mean, he definitely found his way around the court pretty good. That's what it is.

Q. People often say they learn from a loss like this. Is that really true, or is it just a blown opportunity?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, depends. I mean, I don't think I can learn much from my loss today. That's my opinion. Like I don't think I'll learn something else that I haven't know, for example, especially for that kind of match. The only good thing I can take is experience coming on that court. It's definitely a little different. The scenery is different. The surface is actually a little different. That's the one thing that I'll take with me. But, I mean, anything else, I wouldn't think so. I have played GaÃ«l before. Anyway, I knew what to expect. At some point everything becomes really repetitive. There's not much you can learn from something like that, except if it was like in five-set match or something that I did wrong at the crucial moments. And today, just not going the way I wanted.

Q. Did you feel like you had enough gas in the tank to get into a very long match if you had to, say, you if came back and won it?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I always thought I was ahead. I always had breakpoints. I got the break back in the second set. I was 6-3-up in the tiebreak. So there is a bunch of chances already mid-match. I could have gone the distance all the way, but it was just not happening for me today. Things were not -- so to speak, things were not going my way.

Q. Two things: You're still quite young in your career. You're climbing upwards. What are your thoughts that here we have Roger Federer, elder, at age 34 still doing so incredibly well, and also it's the end of the slam season? Could you talk about your slam season and assess it, please?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: My slam season, well, it's been my first year that I have actually did play well with all the slams basically, except French Open. Got into that second week for first time, so that's a good experience. There's something that I am definitely gonna take with me. I played I think quite a few matches. The record is becoming more and more on the positive side than on the negative, which is a positive sign. Still I think there is just a lot of work to be done out there, a lot of preparation and all that. I'm 23, but I don't want to think that I'm young or something like that. I want to win majors. That's my main goal. I'm not satisfied with my results so far, even though I have done probably -- I have come into my best year of my tennis year. I'm not even close to being satisfied. I think that's one of the nicest things that I feel about it, is that I have that hunger to actually become better every tournament I play, even though I have lost quite a few tough matches this year. I'm pissed, you know. I'm just not happy with that. I know I can do better. Today was proof of that. I'm not going to hide my disappointment. I came out there, poor match, so I've got to take it. I have to accept it and move forward. Five tournaments till the end of the year. I'm going to give it all.

Q. Based on the experiences you have had in pushing Nadal close in Australia, Novak at Wimbledon, and here today, what do you think you need to work on in order to take that next step?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: That's a very good question. What can I work? I mean, I think it was just everything was just very new for me. Sort of coming into that second week was just new, a new experience. What I can do better is next time maybe approach matches like that maybe a little different, especially when you get into that second week. This is where you actually, if you're in that second week, you have good momentum and you should use it into your favor. Today I occasionally I was a bit anxious at some points and I was going for a few shots that they were not supposed to be played that way. So maybe that. I mean, I think today is just a little tough to think about that a little bit obviously because of the result, but I'm going to reassess everything and sort of have the whole review. As I said, it's been a great year, but there are still five tournaments to be played. I have basically a great chance to perform well in all five of them, so I'm looking forward to that. It's going to be a strong finish.

Q. Do you think pressure was a thought today?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Entering into that second week there is no favorite, I'd say. I think everyone has a legitimate chance, especially when you come on that scene, on that court, playing to getting to the quarterfinal matches. This is always a tricky part. I wouldn't call it pressure, because in a way I had nothing to lose, if you think about it. I just wanted to come on court and swing and play my shots very freely. But, again, I just knew what to expect from GaÃ«l. Actually, he delivered today. So that's, you know -- maybe I don't give enough credit to him today, but he just did what he had to do in order to beat me.
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