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U.S. OPEN

September 3, 2016

Grigor Dimitrov

New York, NY, USA

G. DIMITROV/J. Sousa

6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talk about how you're feeling. Got to be feeling good, confidence high.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I'm feeling good. Played a good match. A little dip I think in the third set, but I was able to control everything I think in the fourth set even though I was down a break. I'm enjoying playing tennis right now. Obviously I've been striking the ball well, having good results.

Just getting ready for the next match. Pretty pleased to be in the second week again.

Q. Do you find yourself getting looser with each round? Does it get more cranked up or do you relax more?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: For sure, it's always good to be a little bit nervous. I like being a little bit nervous before matches. I think it helps you focus a little bit more in order to be good and be better when you get on the court. Of course, after a few games, you're kind of into the match so it feels more comfortable.

Yeah, just with each match you get of course more excited. In the same time, it's just another match.

Q. What has changed the past few weeks for you to find your confidence?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Winning matches. I think winning matches always gives you confidence. I've won quite a few close matches, which just helps me a lot to build up and be solid when I have to.

Today, that type of a match that I played really smart on the big points, I played good when I had to. Overall it was a decent match, I would say.

But, yeah, these kind of moments really, really help you mentally when you come out and play your opponent.

Q. Can you talk a bit about your coaching relationship with Dani, what he's brought to your game?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, we're still getting to know each other. He's a great guy. First of all he's a great guy. We share a lot of the same things. On the court we kind of think similar. We kind of want to just work right now. That's what it's about.

I know how to play tennis. Now it's more the strategic way, how you're going to prepare for big matches, big tournaments.

So far I think we've been doing a great job. Yeah, just simplicity. That's the key right now. Just do your stuff, work, go out there, give 100% each match.

Q. How much do you think he might help you if you play Andy next?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Honestly, we haven't thought about that yet. I think also I've played quite a few times against Andy. I think we both know our game pretty well. I don't think there's going to be any surprises. I don't think I'm going to hear anything new in a way.

But we still got to prepare. I mean, obviously it's going to be a great match. I'm excited to be in the second week. That's just a good start for me. And, yeah, I mean, I always like my chances when I get to stages like that in a tournament, especially having to play, like, tough matches early on and feeling good and confident. Physically I'm good.

Yeah, just going to take everything onboard with me right now and bring it out on the court.

Q. You're an exciting player because you can play all-court tennis. How do you find a balance with your ability to improvise?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: This is where the simplicity of the practice and the discipline comes in. Especially in those moments, 30-All, deuce, breakpoint, anything like that, it's super important to, in a way, go back to the basics, go back to what you've been practicing, to the simple shots. For example, play with your big weapons, whether it's your first serve or your forehand. So these things are pretty important.

But, yeah, some of the big shots that you hit sometimes, they just happen at the right time. If you start looking for them, of course you're going to miss and you're never going to be a sustainable player.

Like today, for example, on quite a few big points, I think I pulled the trigger quite a few times with my backhand. It was just the right moment to do so. I won pretty much all those points.

I pride myself actually on that today. I was just pretty solid when I had to play important points.

Q. Do you think going through several coaches the past few years may have changed your game style?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: No, no, no. You know, obviously you know how to play tennis. You've played all your life a certain way. When I say discipline of how you're going to play, I wouldn't say that's a change of style. I think it's a change of plan, a change of a bit of your mentality.

But change of style, it's too extreme to me.

Q. Sometimes you hear different voices, different speeches.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: You're always going to hear different voices and different speeches regardless. People that don't have much of an idea of tennis will come, Hey, man, you should have hit that forehand down the line a bit more.

Yeah, man, you want to do it for me? Yeah, go ahead.

But that's just how it is. That's why you need to simplify and make sure you have the right people, the right team around you, that first you're loyal to them. This is the unity that puts it all together. You know these are the people that you need to hear from. This is what matters the most. Everything else is just a noise.

Q. You talked about how you're enjoying your tennis now. You mentioned that as well during Wimbledon. Has there been a time in the recent past when you haven't been enjoying it?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, of course.

Q. What has changed?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: That's a tough one.

I think a lot has changed over the past I think year and a half for me. I fell in love with tennis again. It's simple as that. It's not only because I've been winning matches or anything like that. It's because I started to enjoy the process again.

I'm enjoying the work again. I'm enjoying waking up in the morning early to come to practice. I'm enjoying doing the ice baths again. I'm enjoying pretty much everything that I do.

I think just these kind of things really helps you. You don't think of anything else. I started to enjoy those butterflies before a match, complaining to your coach that you're, like, short of breath because you're so nervous to come on court. Those are moments I'm sure I'm always going to appreciate hopefully for the rest of my career.

Q. Del Potro, there's some people that wondered after all the surgeries whether he was going to be able to come back, would he be at the same level.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Never a doubt.

Q. Never a doubt?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: No.

Q. We're talking about a second week, elite level.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I never doubted that. All the people that's been around me have said the same thing. I mean, of course there's a long, long way for him to come back like that. But the way he's been playing throughout the year, I remember he started the year so-so in a way, but he was still hitting the ball pretty amazing.

I mean, with that forehand, you can close your eyes, hit the ball, it can get in. Definitely one of the best hitters in the game. The Olympics and everything, that really helps you to build up.

Of course, only time can show the rest, but it was never a doubt in my mind that the guy's going to be back.

Q. Even the speed, how quickly it's happened, you're not surprised by that?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: No, I'm not. Not really, no.

Q. You played some exciting matches with Murray. What is it about you two together that creates exciting tennis and what are the biggest challenges?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I think we like our styles, I guess, just kind of fits our games. There's going to be a lot of challenges, especially on an occasion like that, against Andy. I mean, he's going to be, for sure, ready as ever. As I said, he's just really confident right now. He's been playing extremely good tennis. He knows what to do.

But in the same time, I know what to do, too. In the end, it's going to come down to a few points here and there. Yeah, I mean, for me honestly it's just another match. As I said, I'm enjoying that I'm at that stage of a tournament, second week for the first time at the Open. I'm just going to get out there and really focus on my game and on myself. This is what I demand from myself for the next match.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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