AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 8, 2021

Grigor Dimitrov

Press Conference

G. DIMITROV/M. Cilic

6-4, 6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you tell us your thoughts on today's match, please.

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, what can I say? It's been an interesting first round. Obviously I really needed to focus on my side of the net. He's been a very, how can I say, one of the toughest opponents that I ever played I think in a first-round match.

I really had to get out of the blocks very fast and very aware of what was happening around. So, yeah, I really had to stay focused, and I think focus on the serve really were on point today, and that made the biggest difference.

Q. As you said, it feels a little bit strange to see you and Marin playing in the first round.

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah. No, absolutely. It's tough, it's tough. I mean, even after I saw him, I was, like, Man, it's not the easiest thing, but, you know, it happens. What can you do? In moments like that, you've really got to appreciate the player, appreciate the play, the moment, the opportunity you get again.

There is a lot of things like that you just cannot control. I think that's one of them, who you play on the first rounds.

Yeah. I mean, it was, again, it was a very, very tough first round.

Q. Obviously a very tough first round, but do you almost feel like that's great preparation going into the rest of the tournament, given how great the performance was today?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I always like tough first rounds, but that was a little extra, I would say, to start off.

Of course, I mean, I'm very conscious about it. I'm really trying to focus on whatever I can get next to play, and basically my preparation, the way I'm going on my days and the way I'm building up my routines for this year. It's been a while since I have been competing on really, really, like, back-to-back weeks or matches or anything like that.

So I have been looking to get that sensation back, that feeling back. Last I competed was three months ago. I don't believe I have ever been that far away from not only from the tour but just competing.

I mean, when we put the pandemic, beginning of it, obviously those were different circumstances, but given the chance that we had that we could play in the end of last year, you know, I'm just very grateful that I get not only to win those matches now but to really, like, appreciate those moments.

And even the days that you just practice, they really mean a lot to me, more so than, I'd say, than it has been in a really long time.

So that's why right now I'm just, you know, staying in the moment, appreciating what is happening, appreciating getting to play more matches. Keep things simple.

Q. Once your generation, like you and Raonic, Nishikori, maybe Cilic, you guys are considered as up and coming young generation. And maybe people think that one day you guys would take over the place of Roger and Rafa. And now do you think you feel still fresh and you guys have a potential to take over?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I don't know. I think each on their own. I mean, I cannot speak, I can only speak for myself and from experience that I had.

I mean, all these players that you just mentioned, for me they are still the top of the players. They can absolutely produce at any given day amazing, amazing tennis, amazing matches, amazing wins, given the circumstances. Of course a lot of, like, we have struggled, there were sometimes that we struggled with different, I don't know, problems, whatever you want to call it. But, like, I never rule these guys out until they hung the racquets. That's just how it is.

The same thing for me. I mean, I have been, you know, No. 3 in the world. So you can ask me if I can come back there, yes, I believe I can. How long it would take me, I don't know. Will I ever be back? I don't know.

But I will sure try my absolute best, my absolute possible to put myself in that position again, you know, until I don't enjoy the sport anymore, until I don't want to play anymore, I don't want to compete.

So until you're in the game, until you get a chance every time, every opportunity, it's very hard to say on the other end. Yes, you see a lot of younger guys, younger generation, doing really well, they have exceptional wins already and so on, but, okay, great, keep on doing it. I think, I mean, this is my what, 11th Australian or something like that? So, I mean, why not? Why not keep on going.

I think mentally I'm feeling okay for now. I think in a sense a little bit more fresh than I have ever been in a really long time. So, you know, progressive, steady consistency. I'm just -- let's see where that takes me.

Q. Alex Bolt in the next round. Do you know much about him?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I have seen a few of his matches, yeah. Lefty. Of course very -- I like his game, to be honest. I have seen some of his matches. Obviously he's playing at home, home crowd.

Yeah, I mean, I think, as I said, these moments that I get to play out there, I really try to focus on what I'm going to be doing out there. I want to control what I can, my game, the way I'm gonna progress, the way I'm gonna play and go on with my match. So this is going to be I think the priority right now, and, yeah, hopefully have another good one.

Q. Speaking of being fresh, I think you started working with Dante Bottini end of the last year. So what is the idea behind working with him? How did it happen?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I think the past year, I would say year and a little bit, I have been back and forth with some coaches. I have spent a lot of time alone. I had time to revisit what I have done over the years, what I have worked on and so on.

Yeah, the moment I found out Dante was sort of alone, I reached out to him, just wanted to hear his thoughts a little bit on my game and, you know, on a potential work plan and so on.

I think we met, spent a very quality time together, and it's been a long time since I have had somebody that felt very similar to my way of thinking and my working ethic. We hit it off.

This is our first tournament together. So, yeah, we are enjoying I think our time together. We definitely have future. We will see how we're gonna schedule our sort of plan. We're gonna discuss a little bit more of our goals and what next needs to be done and then go from there.