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ROGERS CUP

August 10, 2018

Grigor Dimitrov

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

K. ANDERSON/G. Dimitrov

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. He played extremely well today. How do you assess your game and his today?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: There's not much to say. I mean, he just came out and played his game and everything was going his way. I think he served well. He did everything well. Just simple as that.

He deserves for sure all the credit for the match. I mean, he was able to keep, you know, a good -- I mean, unbelievable level throughout the whole match.

So there was not much for me to do. I tried as hard as I can, but there was no -- couldn't get into a rally too much.

Q. How important or how critical was getting broken in that first game in the second set?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: A lot. But, I mean, again, I hit four first serves. He did four unbelievable returns. So I'm trying to figure what else I could have done better, but in that particular case not much. I mean, I played by the rules in those important moments and he came on top. Simple as that.

Overall, I mean, I'm just going to stay positive because overall it's been a great week for me. Won a couple of rounds, tough ones, which was very important for me. And, yeah, on to the next one.

I think it's also good to -- I mean, at least to feel that I have a lot more in me right now. And hopefully, step by step, I'm going to be able to do better.

Q. You had two very tough matches in your first two rounds, both went to third-set tie-breaks. Was fatigue at all an today?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: If I say no it probably would be a lie, but I don't like excuses like that.

For sure I had some time to rest last night, but still sometimes, I mean, a couple of extra hours are not enough.

But, I mean, yes, there's a little fatigue, but that's for sure not the issue. I mean, if you think about it, like, we all get a little bit tired and all that.

But, again, as I said, today he just played a great match.

Q. Talking about next week, is there any excitement about the idea of going to a place where you have won a big title like this next week? And the other thing is what is still missing for you to get to your top level?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, just consistency and win extra matches. I think that's the most important thing.

Going back to Cincinnati, a tournament that I obviously won last year, so it's great. I mean, that gives me a lot of perspective, confidence, everything that you can possibly think.

I mean, I'm excited. For sure I'm excited. I like challenges like that, especially when you've done well in a tournament to come back and do it again.

Q. Kevin had 12 aces today. How tough is it to kind of break his rhythm when he's such in a zone like that?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: There's not much you can do. You can try to guess which spot he's going serve, but still I think the court suits him a lot. It's a very high bounce. He can even serve a second serve, I mean, 180, 185 anywhere. I mean, that itself is plenty, let alone if you start hitting your sports.

So I tried everything. I tried to stay back, tried to chip, tried all the things that I could possibly think of, but it just wasn't enough.

Q. Obviously he has such a great serve but what has Kevin improved? He's been to two Slam finals in the last 12 months. What else is he going well aside from his serve.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: He's always been serving well. He's more solid in tough moments. I think his consistency overall, like winning a lot of matches, also gives you a lot of confidence. I mean, I know the feeling. And when you put a few elements together, everything else falls by.

And as I said -- I mean, as you said, in the past 12 months he's been playing more than good. He's been playing I think amazing tennis, winning a lot of matches. And step by step, I mean, with his serve, his game is improving itself.

Q. You said yesterday you only took two, three days off since Wimbledon. And considering this is a long stretch, do you feel that, you know, you need to be very fresh for a swing like this?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah.

Q. How do you feel about that? Do you feel fresh enough?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: It's one thing to practice. Other thing is to play matches. The beating on the body is completely different.

When you practice, you put the stress away, the pressure, the momentum of the match. There's so many things that are not even there. So that is not even in discussion, at least for me.

It's a completely different outlook when you haven't competed for, let's say, four, five weeks. And you can be as fit as you can, still, after first match, it doesn't matter what you have done outside the court. You still going to feel your body a little bit in different spots.

When you add up after that the stress, the preparation, all the everything that comes with it, I mean, for sure you're going to feel a little tired.

But, I mean, nothing I haven't felt before. So there's -- I mean, there's nothing in mind on that side.

Q. I think a few years ago you played Kevin on an outside court here.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: No. I played on this court. I remember.

Q. And there was a match point and stuff like that.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah. I remember that.

Q. What do you remember about that and how has Kevin evolved since then?
GRIGOR DIMITROV: I mean, the results speaks for itself. It's simple as that. I'm no one to say what he has improved. In my eyes he might have improved his forehand or his backhand. But his coach might say he slices so much better, how can you not notice?

So, I mean, as I said, overall, his performance has been great. So I think, as I said, that consistency is what actually also helped him to get to that point right now.

I mean, I remember when we played here whatever years ago, I mean, it was the same thing. He still pretty much played the same way today, but today he just put everything together.

So you can never, like, compare a match that happened three, four years ago to a match that just happened 30 minutes ago.

Q. Just lastly there was lots of support from Bulgarian fans here in Toronto. Just talk about that.
GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, every time I'm back here, it's pretty amazing. I mean, I'm proud to be Bulgarian. I've been playing for Bulgaria all my life.

Not only in this tournament, but everywhere I go I see the flag and it's pretty special for me. I mean, I think for any player goes the same thing.

But overall the crowd has been amazing. Matches at 11:00, 12:30, it's been a full house. And again, without the fans, we're for sure not going to be the same.

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