Grigor Dimitrov has declared that his time away from tennis “really did me good” ahead of his much-anticipated return from injury at the 2025 Paris Masters.
The Bulgarian star has not played since suffering a tear in his right pectoral muscle in his fourth round Wimbledon contest with Jannik Sinner in July.
Dimitrov was leading Sinner, who was the world No 1 at the time, 6-3, 7-5, 2-2 on Centre Court when he was cruelly and suddenly forced to retire due to the injury.
Grigor Dimitrov opens up ahead of his return from injury
- Grigor Dimitrov said he took advantage of the rare chance to spend time at home during the summer and explained he was not actively following the tour during his absence
- The world No 38 addressed what may have caused his injury blow, but said it is “impossible” to find an answer
- Dimitrov will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in his comeback match, and he will also partner Nicolas Mahut in doubles
The 2017 ATP Finals champion revealed on July 11, four days after his retirement against Sinner, that he had undergone surgery and described having to retire as “one of the most painful moments of my career.”
The 34-year-old had been playing inspired tennis against Sinner at Wimbledon and he was in with a real chance of completing a huge upset that would have ranked as one of the finest wins of his career. Sinner went on to claim his maiden Wimbledon crown, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
Dimitrov’s Wimbledon heartbreak was the latest instance of his body breaking down at Grand Slam tournaments as he became the first player in the Open Era to retire mid-match at five consecutive majors.
The former world No 3 was leading 6-2, 6-3, 2-6 against Ethan Quinn in the opening round at the 2025 French Open when a thigh injury rendered him unable to continue.
At the 2025 Australian Open, Dimitrov was forced to retire in the second set of his first round match with Francesco Passaro. He was also unable to finish his 2024 US Open quarter-final against Frances Tiafoe and his 2024 Wimbledon last 16 clash with Daniil Medvedev due to injuries.
What Dimitrov said about his time away from tennis
Ahead of his Paris Masters comeback, Dimitrov revealed he was in a good place and spoke about his positive approach in the aftermath of the injury.
“I’m doing very well, taking a step back from tennis really did me good,” Dimitrov was quoted as saying by L’Equipe (translated from French).
“It was the first time in almost twenty years that I could really be at home for the summer, so I took advantage of these moments. I wasn’t really following what was happening on the tour, I wasn’t trying to stay connected.
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“It was important to really let go. I realised that it’s normal to be injured, it’s normal not to play every week. I accepted all of that and I’m just very happy to be back.
“Surprisingly, I was strong. I didn’t see it as a negative, although there were doubts, of course. To say that everything went perfectly would be wrong. But I know how to deal with these things, not just injuries, but also anything mental.”
What Dimitrov said about the possible causes of the injury
The Bulgarian recognised that a number of factors could have been behind his injury, but asserted that he will “never know” the cause.
“I did everything I could to avoid asking myself that question,” Dimitrov added.
“It’s impossible to have an answer. We know what our schedule looks like: the number of tournaments, weeks, the workload… We always take that risk.
“Is it bad luck? Maybe. The schedule? Maybe. A lack of preparation? Maybe. But we’ll never know. There’s no point wasting energy looking for an explanation we won’t find.”
Who will Dimitrov face at the Paris Masters?
Dimitrov, who was a runner-up at the 2023 Paris Masters, will face world No 56 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the opening round of the Masters 1000 event on Monday. It will be his first encounter with the huge-serving Frenchman.
The 34-year-old will also partner Nicolas Mahut, a former world No 1 in doubles, in what will be the last event of the 43-year-old Frenchman’s career.
“We always wanted to do a few double sessions together throughout the last years, but I was honestly never really able to commit,” Dimitrov said of Mahut to ATPTour.com.
“It was the right time. It was the last tournament for him and it made sense. I have a very sentimental relationship with him.
“For so many years, we played against each other. We competed more than once on such a big occasion. So it’s safe to say that it’s a good ending for him.”
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