ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

November 1, 2023

Grigor Dimitrov

Press Conference

G. DIMITROV/D. Medvedev

6-3, 6-7, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Well done, Grigor. You had a few match points, and then it went to the third. What do you think made the difference today against Daniil?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Oh, I think a lot of things made a big difference today. I mean, I could have definitely finished the match a little bit earlier, which was the plan (smiling). But of course not everything goes in that manner.

I think resilient. I was very resilient throughout the whole match. I was looking for the match, I always wanted to create the game, I was trying to create my plays and go after the shots.

I think last week, I think it also gave me a lot of insight of the things I can do better and things I wanted to do better. Yeah, a difficult one today, but I'm very happy that, you know, I managed to also hold on to my emotions and keep going after my game.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. If you can speak about with the last stretch of this match after you had four match points and 47-shot rally that you lost, you didn't show any frustration. Just mentally, how do you think you finished that one without losing your mind out there?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah, I lost my legs on that one (smiling). It's tough to think, too, for something else, I think.

You know, I was even talking to my team now, I thought I could have hit a few shots differently. But every time, for example, was setting up to hit a backhand and instead of leaning forward I was leaning backwards. I was thinking, what's going on here?

It was very taxing, honestly. Like, I think points like that you get to play and you feel that as much as you're hitting the ball, it's just going to come back. That's how Daniil is overall. Not just today. Like, overall that's his game.

And I didn't feel like I have a good enough of a look throughout the whole rally to punch through a little bit more. It's very difficult to see it from when you're in the court, and I'm going to have a look a little bit to see if I could have done maybe something else or maybe sneak in or try to risk it a little bit.

I always like my chances when I'm in long rallies. Against him it's always a little bit 50/50 and maybe more leans towards him.

But yeah, I had to accept it. There was no other way. You know, matches against that type of a player is, like, the moment you get a little frustrated or you start missing and they see it and they take it all the way through.

Also, I was not that pissed. I was, like, okay, it's another one of those rallies. Also a lot of points went my way; this one went his way. It's the game. I mean, that was fun, but fun because you got out on the other side.

Q. You have been playing so consistently over recent months. Is there almost a feeling the end of year is coming too early? Would you prefer the Australian Open to be in two weeks rather than to have two months off?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Yeah. Right, huh? What a wonderful wish.

No, I think there are times throughout the year that I felt like I was playing good tennis, but nothing was going my way. It's just when those type of moments come, you just have to stick with it. You just never know when, you know, you're going to have a good week, where things can go your way. I mean, like for other tournaments I was ten times more prepared, and I could not put one ball in the court the way I wanted to.

It's all about that balance, and I don't want to get too hung up on the other tournaments or what could I have done and how it's going to be next week. All I'm thinking is, okay, how can I recover for tomorrow, what do I have to do tomorrow. So I'm trying to take things a little bit more lightly in the same time.

I think we all have those butterflies before matches and all the excitement, all these things. They are a part of it, and I appreciate them a lot more, I would say, not only that here but last year as well.

I had to keep on believing in my game, as well, and I had to keep on the work that I was putting in, as well, on and off the court. There were so many weeks that I was grinding through practice and in the fitness room and eating habits and sleeping habits, and God knows how many other things I've tried overall, just to put myself in a position to play matches like this and be able to sustain the level and all that.

I mean, I'm proud of, first of all, I'm proud of the team. This is the one thing that I'm the most, in a way, happy with. Wins are wins. Of course when they come they are happy and positive. We all had a different vision, like the bigger picture.

I think right now we just kind of enjoy that run in the past, like, three, four months, because we know what we have done and we want that. We want to be in those positions. We want to play those matches and want to have that grind.

Q. I was thinking of 2017 when you played so well at this time of year, and we all expected great things of you in 2018 and you started a bit flat. Have you learnt something from that that means you can continue the last few months into next year?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Oh, my God, you gave me back to 2018. It's about to be 2024. Yeah, I have learned. I have learned, oh, my God. I don't know, where should I begin from the learning process. I think I have been in school ever since then.

Yeah, I guess. I mean, I don't know. In 14 years if I don't learn every single season that I have, I mean, shame on me. But in the same time, there are so many factors, and I think often a lot of us, even us as players forget about things. You take certain things for granted, and things happen outside the tennis life. You know, there are so many, like, fundamentals that sometimes don't go your way and they affect you of course on the court, as well.

Balance. I think that's why I think you need to have the right team, the family, friends. You know, it takes time. It takes time. That's why I think overall my career and moments have been a lot of up-and-down, and I'm recognizing this and I'm, in a way, proud of it, because it made me who I am today. It made me learn things, made me understand people better, made me understand myself better.

And yeah, you keep on moving and you learn.

Q. It wasn't just those match points where you really kept in the zone. Obviously the second set didn't go your way, but you saved set points before and after, there was that delay with the booing and stuff. How did you stay in the zone and what's going through your mind in that moment?

GRIGOR DIMITROV: Anything is in the game. I think when those type of moments come, you cannot control the crowd, you cannot control the player or the umpire. I think experience in that sense. I mean, I even remember back in the days when I was playing team competitions and stuff. You kind of try to remember those things, as well. It's part of the game.

I think one of the most important things is when you're out there on the court, because in a way you're surrounded by so many people but you're all alone. So you need to stay mentally very, like, within yourself, with yourself.

I think the inner chatter is so important, as well. How you're going to prepare, you know, prior to the match, during the match, coming out on the court, when you get a break, when you're down a break.

So there are so many variables coming throughout the match. In the same time, I just feel like nothing can rattle me on that end to the extent I can just explode and have different type of reaction. Always in the game. The only thing I can really, really control is myself. I mean, if I'm able to keep my emotions on a good level and recognizing the situation, I don't see why there should be any problem.