ROLAND GARROS

May 22, 2022

Grigor Dimitrov

Press Conference

G. DIMITROV/M. Giron

6-1, 6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: That was an impressive win today. Can you talk us through the match.

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I heard the weather might be bad... (smiling).

No, it's definitely a dream start for me. Today was just a good day. Not much to say. I played him last year in the same court, same time, same day. Had I think some bitter memories, but I'm happy that everything checked out well today.

My body, my mind, everything just felt good, and just wanted to stay in the match, enjoying every point that I have. Just looking after what I could do.

I think despite the, yeah, despite the fact that I played on Sunday again, I think I was ready to play.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. After the past couple of years here with little to no fans basically, what was the atmosphere like out there, and how do you sort of appreciate having a full house?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I mean, it's great. I think every tournament as of late that we have played it has been much more open and sort of back to normal I think.

I don't know. I have always appreciated the fans, but this time they are part of it even more. I think after such a break away from everything, especially the fans, it's just great to finally see and feel that energy.

I, for one, I was, okay, like either/or in a sense of whatever it is, it is. I never looked too deep into it, but I have realized ever since everything kind of is getting back to normal is just, Wow, this makes a huge difference (smiling).

You feel the energy, and the crowd I think appreciates it even more. Also, that's partly why we enjoy the sport itself. Without the fans, we definitely won't be the same.

Q. You have just celebrated your 31st birthday last week. Happy Birthday. How does the 31-year-old Grigor compare to the 21-year-old Grigor?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I was so excited to get to 30, for some reason. I don't know why, but it's not that big of a difference, to be honest, as long as the body is holding up good, that's all I care about.

I don't know. I think it's knowledge. I think it's experience. I think it's everything that has been surrounding you I think over, I would say over the past 13 years for me on tour. I don't want to say it's a wakeup call, because it's not, but it certainly makes you realize a lot more of what you are, who you are, what do you like, what you don't like?

I think tolerance, as well, has changed quite a bit, which is very interesting for me, but in a nice and positive way. I don't know. Right now I feel like I just see and try to, I would say, really like discover or rediscover myself more so than anything else.

Of course the sport itself helped me a lot. I think my family, my team, everybody that has been around me, I mean, they have noticed difference, even on certain moments they have mentioned that, and I really appreciate it.

I know they see a difference, but the most important is for me to see it. So nothing is ever that good or nothing is ever that bad. I'm trying to live between that balance. It makes me appreciate every single day that I get out there on the court and makes me love the game more.

I think a lot of good things. You know, you don't try to stay too much, don't get hung up on many other things, I guess.

Q. That time that you spent on tour, we have seen a lot of you on the grass courts of England. I'm wondering, in light of the big news story this week, does the lack of rankings points affect at all your kind of eagerness to play at Wimbledon? I guess what do you think of the decision overall?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I love the grass, so I think despite the situation, I'm still thinking of doing it. What can I say? Listen, it's a tough go from whatever perspective you see it. For me personally it's just tough, because we all, I think a lot of players in the locker room speak of always having that equal field and all that, but listen, those are the circumstances.

There is not much else to do right now, at least from our, I mean, from our point stand of view. If there is something else to be done, we will hear I think more, but for now, that's what it is.

Q. You have had some tough matches in the first round here at Roland Garros in previous years. What are the biggest challenges for you for playing on clay?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: It's very unpredictable surface. I think that's the one thing. It's best-of-five sets, so like anything can happen.

Maybe one of the things that I have really sort of emphasized on is my preparation, for one, trying to focus on really the things that I can control and I can do. Really like give yourself that chance.

I think this is, for me, this is the No. 1 thing. Give yourself the chance to be the best you can be, any match, any given match.

I think the field is, I mean, tough all the time now when you see like certain guys. You know, their ranking is low but they are playing an excellent tennis. You have kind of got to be ready every single match. Yeah, after that it becomes even more difficult.

Yeah, prepare the best that you can and give all you have. I think that's really the mentality on a clay court. You just never know what's going to happen till the last moment or if you're going to have another way of figuring out the match in the last games.

But at the moment, it's, I don't know, it's an interesting field. I think absolutely you can see like certain gaps like here and there, but I'm going to look one match at a time. That's all I want to focus on now.