	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAÃº

March 28, 2016

Grigor Dimitrov

Miami, Florida

G. DIMITROV/A. Murray

6-7, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In terms of your career, I know you've beat Djokovic once. How does this victory rank up there for you?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I'm happy. Of course I'm happy with that victory. Every time you beat a top player you know you must have done something good.

As I said, I'm just very happy with the win and just focusing on the next round. I'm not trying to rank anything right now. I'm still in the tournament. Looking for my next opponent. It's a good win. Still in a way it's the beginning of the year. Clay is coming after.

So just focusing on what I have to do.

Q. Just a quick follow up. Are you surprised at how the tournament, with the Top 5 seeds, has been going? Four of the top 5 now out. Do you feel like that might clear a path for you a little bit?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: You still have to go through everyone. You know, of course there has been a lot of retirements and all that, but everyone can play nowadays. I like to say that.

You still have to beat the player, right, whoever you play? Of course in a way if you look at it it's like, Okay, you have a legitimate chance to do better, but there is still a lot of matches to be played.

Q. There have been results that for your standards that haven't gone your way that you should have closed out in the last six, eight months. How did you keep things together in this one, knowing he's Andy, how tough he is, and it worked out?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, I played quite a few times against him. I think we know our game pretty well, to be honest. I just played better in the good moments today. That's it. I had quite a few opportunities and I used them very -- I think I was just a smart player throughout the course of the whole match.

Even though I lost the first set, I kept a good composure. It's tough. Even though was 4-Love up in the second set I felt it still isn't over. Also the whole situation kind of sucks you in and you try to do a little more. Next thing you know the one break was back. So I had to stay in the match and had to be really focused.

I think when I was 3-1 down in the third set, I really felt that I know I'm going to get another chance because I was returning well, playing very good in the key moments. I'm happy with all those things, to be honest, today. Yeah.

Q. Were you surprised at how frustrated Andy was getting? He made more errors than he normally makes in a match.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I didn't see -- I mean, I just saw him on the other side. I don't know if he was that frustrated. I'm sure it's frustrating as a player to do a lot of unforced errors. I know the feeling. But it's part of the game.

As I said, some of the mistakes I actually felt like I pushed him to do. He had to go for quite a few shots today I felt when I was pushing him with my slice, and I think he was just -- at some point he was just shooting some balls.

Of course I didn't expect that, but I felt I have provoked that. That's a good sign for me. Yeah.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about I think you faced Andy in 2013 here the last time.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah.

Q. What changed in this couple of years in your career? Also, if you have taken a look at the draw can you talk a little bit about your next opponent. I think it's between Monfils and Cuevas.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I think that year, 2013, I started -- actually I played final in Brisbane against Andy and I was serving for the first set; came here and I remember I served for the first set again.

I mean, the one thing I felt I've improved is at least I'm playing a little bit better on those key moments against him especially.

As I said, we know our game pretty well so we know what to expect. But it's always good to have a win like that. I mean, again, I'm not going to hide it. I'm happy with that because it's still the best result of the year so for me.

On to the next one. Whether it's Cuevas or Monfils, I mean, two unbelievable players. That's all. I have pretty much the same respect for them, and I need to come out and play my game again and win.

Q. Do you fell less pressure this year than last year?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I try not to compare the years. Every year is a new year. You start from the beginning. Because I played good 2014 doesn't mean anything. It was just a good year for me. If I have to judge every year like that I don't think I'm going to improve at all.

So farthings are going in a good way and everything is coming together. So just patience, hard work, and everything else will come.

Q. This week we asked Rafa and Novak which players they would like to watch. Both of them answered Monfils. What would you choose and why?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Who would I pay to watch?

Q. Yeah.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Roger for sure. Rafa. Novak. Obviously these guys. I mean, I'm not going to hide it. It's cool to watch. I mean, I like tennis and I like watching good, strong matches, knowing that the players -- you knowing the players and maybe you've played against them.

So it's kind of nice to sit down at side and watch.

Q. (No microphone.)
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Not there yet. We're still competing against each other. I mean, of course it's maybe interesting to watch a little bit of Nick and Milos, but definitely it's the experience that sometimes you see the little details in.

Q. Sorry to ask you this, but people are doing some gossip on the Internet about you and Eugenie. I don't know if...
GRIGOR DIMITROV: About who?

Q. Genie.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Genie?

Q. Yeah. She was watching your game, so I would like to ask you...
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Ask her that question, you know, who would you rather pay for a ticket. I didn't know that.

Q. Okay. Thank you.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Appreciate it, guys.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297