Background and career
Grigor Dimitrov Dimitrov (Bulgarian: Григор Димитров Димитров, pronounced [ɡriˈɡɔr dimiˈtrɔf]; born 16 May 1991) is a Bulgarian professional tennis player. He has been ranked as high as world No. 3 in singles by the ATP, making him the highest-ranked Bulgarian in history. Dimitrov reached the ranking after winning the biggest title of his career at the season-ending ATP Finals in November 2017. He has won nine ATP Tour singles titles. Prior to his professional career, Dimitrov enjoyed a successful junior career, in which he reached the world No. 1 ranking and won consecutive major boys' singles titles at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships and the 2008 US Open. In October 2013 at the Stockholm Open, Dimitrov became the first Bulgarian man to win an ATP Tour singles title. By reaching the 2024 French Open quarterfinals, Dimitrov became the second player born in the 1990s (after Daniil Medvedev), to complete the career set of both Grand Slam and Masters 1000 quarterfinals. He holds the Open Era record for most Grand Slam retirements (10), including a record 5 times consecutively. As of 2025 Wimbledon, he was the male player with the longest active and fifth-longest overall streak of consecutive Grand Slam appearances, at 58, which ended when he withdrew from the 2025 US Open. Dimitrov was named Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year in 2014 and 2017, marking the first and second occasions a tennis player received the honor since the award's inception in 1958. In 2017, he was also awarded the Balkan Athlete of the Year. In December 2024, he was selected the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.
Grigor Dimitrov was born on 16 May 1991, in Haskovo to father Dimitar Dimitrov, a volleyball champion and tennis coach, and mother Maria Dimitrova, a sports teacher and former volleyball player, in 1991. He first held a tennis racket, given to him by his mother, at the age of three, and when he was five he began to play daily. In his early years his father served as his coach, but after he proved his talent in the tournaments for juniors, he made it clear that he would have to develop in other conditions. At the age of 16, Dimitrov turned professional. In 2007, Dimitrov joined the academy "Sanchez-Casal", where he was further trained under the leadership of Emilio Sánchez and Pato Álvarez. Since March 2009 Dimitrov trained in Paris, France, where he joined Patrick Mouratoglou's tennis academy and spent the next four seasons there and he appointed Patrick Mouratoglou as coach for 2012.
Dimitrov began dating Maria Sharapova in late 2012. He and Sharapova only confirmed their relationship after the 2013 Madrid Open where the Bulgarian managed his first win against a world No. 1, beating Novak Djokovic. Sharapova and Dimitrov separated in July 2015. At the end of 2015, he started discreetly dating American singer Nicole Scherzinger, the lead vocalist of The Pussycat Dolls. Their romantic relationship ended in 2019. Since then, he has been involved in relationships with businesswoman Lolita Osmanova, president of the Luxury International magazine, as well as Romanian actress Mădălina Ghenea. Since April 2025, Dimitrov is in a relationship with Mexican actress Eiza González, confirmed through an Instagram post. In addition to his native Bulgarian, he speaks English and says his main interests are sports, cars, computers and watches. Early in his career he was given the nickname "Baby Fed" for his stylish play and on-court talent being similar to that of Roger Federer. Dimitrov's cousin, Alexander Vasilev, is also a tennis player competing on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors; he has reached a career-high ITF boys’ ranking of No. 2.
He claimed his first major junior cup, the U14 European title, at the age of 14. In 2006, he won the Orange Bowl U16 boys singles and was later named the Eddie Herr International 2007 Rising Star. In 2007, Dimitrov was the finalist at the Orange Bowl U18 boys singles losing to Ričardas Berankis of Lithuania. With Vasek Pospisil, he reached the US Open doubles final falling to Jonathan Eysseric and Jérôme Inzerillo.
He began the 2008 Grand Slam season with a quarterfinal showing at the French Open, losing to Poland's Jerzy Janowicz in three sets. However he went on to win Wimbledon after defeating Henri Kontinen of Finland in the final. He won the title without dropping a set despite playing with a shoulder injury throughout the tournament. The victory saw him join former junior champions Roger Federer and Stefan Edberg and guaranteed him a wildcard entry into the 2009 Wimbledon men's draw. His success continued at the US Open, which he won on 7 September, defeating American qualifier Devin Britton in two sets. On his way to the title he also defeated top seed Yang Tsung-hua of Taiwan in the semifinals. After the tournament Dimitrov announced that he was ending his junior career and focusing on improving his ATP ranking. On 8 September 2008, he became junior world No. 1 overtaking Yang Tsung-hua. He closed at No. 3 of the junior ranking that year. Dimitrov compiled a singles win–loss record of 74–28 as a junior (and 42–20 in doubles). Junior Grand Slam performance – Singles: Australian Open: A (-) French Open: QF (2008) Wimbledon: W (2008) US Open: W (2008)
In 2008, Dimitrov began frequent participation in men's events. His first title came on clay at a futures tournament in Barcelona. His first ATP level match was at the Rosmalen Open where he lost to Igor Andreev in straight sets. After his junior US Open title he won back to back futures tournaments in Madrid on hardcourt and rose 300 places to career high ranking of 477. The achievement attracted enough attention to earn him a wildcard into the Madrid Open qualifying draw where he lost to then-No. 64, Florent Serra of France. After being granted another wildcard to the Swiss Indoors qualifying draw, he defeated No. 122, Jiří Vaněk, in three sets in the first round for his first ATP level win, before losing to Julian Reister.
