ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 8, 2023

Grigor Dimitrov

Mixed Zone

G. DIMITROV/A. Vukic

6-4, 6-3

Q. Congratulations. With that result, I believe you have equaled your best result here in Shanghai.

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Oh, really? (Laughing). Didn't I be in the quarters one year? I think Rafa? Yeah, I got you guys if I did (laughing).

No, but anyway, I mean, it's always good. Honestly, it's always good to get further in the tournament like that. I mean, I've always liked the conditions out here, but I feel like I always had tough rounds, to be honest. Now, it's no different. Every round is going to get tougher and tougher.

I'm happy that I was able to finish in straight sets today, which was the important part for me. Yeah, I think I play again tomorrow, so try to recover as much as possible and get out there again.

Q. How do you sum up this season? It seems like you have quietly brought up a really consistent season.

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Well, I think that was my goal overall this year. I've dealt with a fair share of different changes, on and off the court. I felt it was just a matter of time until I start building up just a good base again. I think that was more important to me than the results.

Little by little I was able to have a few good rounds here and there. I got to the final again, which was also very big for me, but I always want more from myself, I expect more from myself in any given tournament.

So, yeah, I think at the moment, if the body feels good and I'm doing the right things, things can go even further.

Q. There's a line in your ATP bio that says that every day you write down three things that you are grateful for. Is that something that you still do?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, the past months I kind of forgot that a little bit. I still have it all written down. I think it helps me a lot with so many different things. I think at that stage where I'm at in my career, I think with each year that has gone by I'm more appreciative of, in a way, anything that I get, not only to do, but to live.

I think on being able to come to practice every day for over 20 days, it means something to me. I don't think every player can do that because when you wake up you have a little bit of pain here and there and you have to sometimes tone it down a little bit with practice. You have to do a lot of different things just to accommodate your body.

Yeah, when I've been able to go full out for so many straight days, I'm just thankful that my health and my body is keeping up.

Q. Motivation seems strong as ever.

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I mean, as I said that, I think even in the past couple of years, in a way I really have, in a way, nothing to prove to anybody other than myself. I think this is, I feel like this is my time, the time for me. Like, I'm very grateful to my family, to my close friends, to all my sponsors, everyone that has been in my team and still are still around. I'm very thankful and I feel like whatever I have achieved is also because of them.

Now, I think I feel like I can grab the fruits sort of on my own (laughing). Like, Those last fruits are mine, so let me just get them. But anyway, all in all, I'm just, how can I say? I'm just grateful that I'm able to come out there every day, compete, win matches, and then who knows.

Q. You almost have a unique, you're in a unique position on the tour. You played through the Roger/Rafa era, now we're in the era of Alcaraz. Do you feel like you've sort of crossed eras in some ways in tennis?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Absolutely. I mean, that goes without saying. Yeah, absolutely. Lately, I've been having a lot of those conversations, actually with some of the generation just behind me, the guys around 25, 26, they have been asking a lot of different questions to have my opinion on things.

It's very interesting for me, and I think one day further down the line I think, when I'm completely out of the game, I think it's going to be very interesting for me to look back and I would love to see how everything is going to unfold. I don't know, who knows. Maybe, I don't know if I'm going to be in tennis after that anyway, but it's very interesting for me to see in a way three eras that I've played with, and even players from way before that towards the end of their career.

So I'm very, I think, as you said, in a unique position, and very fortunate position to be able to compete with each one of 'em.

Q. Do you ever give them any specific advice if they ask for it?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I'm very open. I'm honest. If they need advice, I'm always there to answer the best as I can. In our sport there's not really secrets.

Also, tennis is the type of sport where whatever you put in, you get out of it, eventually, maybe not right away. I think I always, I think one of my most important things is always, go at it, give a hundred percent and you never know how the cards will unfold, but at least when you look back you'll be so proud of yourself and, you know, our sport is difficult enough.