ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 11, 2023

Grigor Dimitrov

Press Conference

G. DIMITROV/C. Alcaraz

5-7, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congrats, Grigor.

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Can you say this was one of your best matches of the year, so far?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I can rate it up there, for sure. I think, given all the circumstances throughout the year and how everything has unfolded for me at certain tournaments, I definitely rate this win up there.

But, yeah, I just don't want to like overthink it to that extent. I feel like also I've done quite a bit of work as well and I think, you know, that match is also a little big reminder for me that, you know, that I feel like I'm in a good path. I'm going to stay as positive as I can possibly can, and, yeah, work through whatever I have to and whoever I have to play.

THE MODERATOR: Questions. Please raise your hand.

Q. Congratulations. So, it seems like this is the fourth time you are against Carlos, and you won this time, so what made this time different?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I think playing against him, like, in so many, yeah, I think on so many occasions, I think it's already, you know, I think it's a step in the right direction.

I feel like I've played throughout a lot of different players over the years, and obviously he's one of the youngest ones, as well. So I think it takes some time to adjust, as well. I think, I mean, not I think, everyone knows how amazing of a player is he. There's no questioning his skills or anything like that.

I always felt that I could have done a little bit more in the previous matches against him. I didn't really wanted to, you know, set myself with like certain goals or expectations coming into this match. All I wanted to do was get out there and play a better match and do the things right. Basically, I wanted to correct myself. I think tonight it happened on a very, yeah, on a very good level.

Q. Congratulations. I wonder if you could talk about how much your experience counted tonight. Was it a matter of making your experience count?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I mean, now against any player that is under 21 (laughing), I feel, yeah, I think a lot of that is, has to do with experience.

I mean, clearly he's, I mean, physically he's in another level. I feel like I'm in a very good level physically and moving well and being fast and all that, but, like, some balls he was getting to, it was just, even for me as a player, it was nice, I mean, amazing to see and feel as well in the same time.

You know, tennis is a very tough sport, but also at the same time you need to be quite intelligent to know what to do at the right time. I think at times I really had to sort of slow down the game a little bit, and be a little bit more rational in terms of what decisions I had to do, how I had to handle certain situations, where I was serving and all that.

So, yeah, that is definitely experience, but, yeah, you always need to, I feel like I have enough tools in my bag to really, you know, pick them when I really need them. I think today, on quite a few moments throughout the match, I had the answer for it. I think that also made a big difference throughout the match.

Q. Could you look ahead to your next match with Nicolas Jarry?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I mean, another tough player. From now on the players are getting tougher and tougher, every single round, it counts.

That's why, like, that's why I'm saying, like, this match tonight, yes, it was a wonderful match, I really take it, I cherish it, I appreciate it, but it's only going to get tougher.

I played Jarry this year. He's a big hitter, big server, so it's just as dangerous. You know, I got to keep my eyes on, you know, on the court, on the ball, whatever it is that I have to do again. I'm not going to change anything. I'm going to go through my routines, follow what I have to do and, again, I can only put myself out there again. How everything is going to unfold, that is out of my control. The only thing I can really do is focus on myself and the game that I need to play.

Q. Congratulations, Grigor. Now Carlos, Daniil and Jannik are all out of this tournament. Shanghai's jaw seems to be very opened. How do you feel about getting your second Masters title, and do you feel Shanghai is your happy place?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: I don't know (smiling), I would like to make it. We're too early to talk about that. We have seen, throughout the year, you've seen different winners, I think, on a lot of tournaments and even a lot of Masters 1000 events.

So, again, for me, I said it a couple of days ago, I'm really running my own race right now. I really want to focus on what I'm doing. Whoever is winning, is losing, you know, that's in the draw. All I have to do is get out there on court, whoever I play, and do the best that I can.

Really, I think that's an approach that I start adapting over, I would say, the past couple of years, because now everybody's playing good. If you think about it, anyone can beat anyone. That's why I think we're going to, in general, in the future, we're going to see draws opening up a little bit more here and there, but that doesn't necessarily mean whatever best player is left there, that is going to win the tournament. No, far from that. I mean, tennis is so physical, mental, and whatever else you want to say.

On that note, no, I don't even want to think about it. We're at the quarterfinal match, that's just the next step. I'm playing a very high quality player, very strong player, so, yeah, there's no time to think ahead.

Q. Congratulations, Grigor. I wonder if there is any differences between playing in Beijing and Shanghai, like the court or the surface of the court?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: The conditions?

Q. Yeah.

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, definitely. I mean, yeah, absolutely. The courts are different, I mean, the past three weeks we played almost on three different surface, with three type of balls. Also, I can say, what about the balls? I mean, I played in Chengdu with the one set, Beijing another one, and here a third one. So, yes, the most important thing is to be able to adapt as quick as possible.

I think what helps a lot is playing good players. I think that's just the case. I think the match that I had with Sinner in Beijing was a match that I felt that I could have done more. I wanted to learn from that. I really wanted to learn. Tonight that was my chance. That was my chance to, not only to show myself, but to really correct the mistakes that I did the previous week.

It really helps when I play against really the top players, because then you start getting used to their ball, you start getting used to a little bit more towards their habits, so you automatically need to raise your level, which is very difficult, especially that I haven't played him in a long time.

So, for me, I'm, at the moment, I'm in a good place. I'm very grateful so far for whatever I have, but I think my job is far from over. Again, focusing on the next match, what's going to happen, we don't know, but the one thing I want to do, again, is to really show up with the right attitude, with the right working habits, and playing my game.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.