WHAT’S GRIGOR DIMITROV THINKING? HE PASSES ON PLAYING HOME TENNIS TOURNEY IN SOFIA BULGARIA

Written by: Staff on 3rd February 2016

Tennis Apia International tournament in Sydney

WHAT'S GRIGOR DIMITROV THINKING? HE PASSES ON PLAYING HOME TENNIS TOURNEY IN SOFIA BULGARIA

epa05100998 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria returns to Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine during their quarter-finals match at the Sydney International Tennis Tournament, in Sydney, Australia, 14 January 2016. EPA/PAUL MILLER AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Dimitrov Disappoints Fan By Skipping Home Country Tournament

Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov has given a big snub to his country by skipping this week’s inaugural Sofia Open ATP event, preferring instead to train in Sweden. The No. 28 may feel he has some work to do after losing in four sets in the third round of the Australian Open.

All during his career, the 24-year-old has had to live with comparisons of his game to that of the master Federer. And so far, the pressure has gotten to the player, who once broke the top 10 but has settled back into mid-range on the ATP.

No logical reason has been given for Dimitrov’s absence from the new tournament in the Bulgarian capital, hosting an event for the first time in 35 years. Dimitrov surely turned down a guarantee to show up at home and is copping criticism for the decision.

“My body feels good, I’m tired, but I think more mentally than physically, after nearly four weeks racing. So I need some rest, we need to review and analyze my matches here, to see where we can improve and how we’re doing at the moment,” Dimitrov said in Australia.

Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria returns a forehand to Roger Federer of Switzerland during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2016. EPA/LUKAS COCH

Dimitrov also drew criticism after he pulled from a Davis Cup playoff tie last season against Hungary.

After a mediocre 2015 season, Dimitrov seems to be shaking up his schedule and not entering next week’s Rotterdam event where Federer is the top seed. and where Dimitrov lost in the second round a year ago to Gilles Muller after playing a 2013 semi-final against Juan Del Potro.

His strategy seems to be avoiding indoor events, which he will substitute by playing on cement in Florida at the Delray Beach tournament this month. Dimitrov has already lost twice in 2016 to Federer, in a Brisbane quarter-final and in the third round at Melbourne.

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