Has Grigor showed today that he might be the future of tennis ?

[Kieran]

One thing I disagree with, though, is that this idea of Dimitrov stepping in is based solely off one match. It isn't.

I understand that, but I was referring to the thread title.

To put it another way, look at the players he's lost to:

Brisbane - Murray
Australian Open - Benneteau
Rotterdam - Del Potro
Indian Wells - Djokovic
Miami Masters - Murray
Monte Carlo - Nadal

Not a bad roster there.

Gee, if only he'd won won of them, eh?

 

[atttomole]

Grigor does really look like Roger. I hope he can add whatever is needed to beccome a top player. Maybe one of the top coaches like Lendl can help raise his game to the next level. I was also impressed by how his backhand handled Nadal's spin.

 

[Mastoor]

I have no idea why people compare him to Federer :huh:

His fh is nothing like Feds, his bh is way better than Fed's. Before you jump on me because of later think about it first. In his last match he was forced to hit bh in around 3 of every 4 shots yet he managed to bully Nadal (on clay! in Monte-Carlo!) enough to be better or equal to NADAL in MONTE CARLO for 2 sets (second and third). Hey, Fed has never done anything like that with his bh, when he bullied Nadal it was always from the other side.

Is he a talent, definitely, but I don't think it is likely he will become #1, so you people shouldn't live in panic that after Serbian #1 you get what you always wanted - a Bulgarian one.

 

[tented]

you people shouldn't live in panic that after Serbian #1 you get what you always wanted - a Bulgarian one.

Whew! I'm so glad that's settled. I've lost years of sleep, and experienced countless panic attacks worrying about when we will finally get a Bulgarian No. 1.

 

[Denis]

One thing I disagree with, though, is that this idea of Dimitrov stepping in is based solely off one match. It isn't.

I understand that, but I was referring to the thread title.

To put it another way, look at the players he's lost to:

Brisbane - Murray
Australian Open - Benneteau
Rotterdam - Del Potro
Indian Wells - Djokovic
Miami Masters - Murray
Monte Carlo - Nadal

Not a bad roster there.

Gee, if only he'd won won of them, eh?

This too easy Kieran. The list shows that only at the AO he was beaten by someone outside the top 10. He has shown consistency at the beginning of this year and that he beats everyone outside the top 10. If he continues that, he will be in the top 10. That's the math. That means he is part of the future of tennis. Unless you only wish to focus on the top 4 spots. I think the 'future' of tennis is a bit broader than that. It takes an incredible amount of effort to reach the top 20. Look at all those junior slam champions over the last decade. Where are they?

Here is a list of them:

Clement Morel Todd Reid Richard Gasquet Marcos Baghdatis Stanislas Wawrinka Florin Mergea Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Gaël Monfils Andy Murray Donald Young Marin Čilić Jérémy Chardy Ryan Sweeting Alexandre Sidorenko Martin Kližan Thiemo de Bakker Dušan Lojda Brydan Klein Vladimir Ignatic Donald Young Ričardas Berankis Bernard Tomic Yang Tsung-hua Grigor Dimitrov Yuki Bhambri Daniel Berta Andrey Kuznetsov Bernard Tomic Tiago Fernandes Agustin Velotti Márton Fucsovics Jack Sock Jiří Veselý Bjorn Fratangelo Luke Saville Oliver Golding Luke Saville Kimmer Coppejans Filip Peliw Filip Peliwo

Only a few make it to top 10.

 

[Mastoor]

you people shouldn't live in panic that after Serbian #1 you get what you always wanted - a Bulgarian one.

Whew! I'm so glad that's settled. I've lost years of sleep, and experienced countless panic attacks worrying about when we will finally get a Bulgarian No. 1.

You must have been utterly traumatized. To dispell any further worry from your life, the next world #1 (after Greg from Bulgaria) will be, Chad... from Chad.

If we keep up like this tented may stop watching tennis today. Bulgarian #1, then Chadian, as if Serbian one is not enough.

 

[tented]

you people shouldn't live in panic that after Serbian #1 you get what you always wanted - a Bulgarian one.

Whew! I'm so glad that's settled. I've lost years of sleep, and experienced countless panic attacks worrying about when we will finally get a Bulgarian No. 1.

You must have been utterly traumatized. To dispell any further worry from your life, the next world #1 (after Greg from Bulgaria) will be, Chad... from Chad.

If we keep up like this tented may stop watching tennis today. Bulgarian #1, then Chadian, as if Serbian one is not enough.

Hardly. My whole point is that I don't care in the least about any player's nationality, including the US (where I'm from).

I don't now, nor have I ever, nor will I ever, root for any player based on his/her nationality. Nor will I not root for someone based on nationality. It's the last thing on my mind. You will find zero evidence to the contrary in any of the literally thousands of posts I've made over the past several years on tennis.com, Tennis Digital, and even here.

 

[Mastoor]

you people shouldn't live in panic that after Serbian #1 you get what you always wanted - a Bulgarian one.

Whew! I'm so glad that's settled. I've lost years of sleep, and experienced countless panic attacks worrying about when we will finally get a Bulgarian No. 1.

You must have been utterly traumatized. To dispell any further worry from your life, the next world #1 (after Greg from Bulgaria) will be, Chad... from Chad.

If we keep up like this tented may stop watching tennis today. Bulgarian #1, then Chadian, as if Serbian one is not enough.

Hardly. My whole point is that I don't care in the least about any player's nationality, including the US (where I'm from).

I don't now, nor have I ever, nor will I ever, root for any player based on his/her nationality. Nor will I not root for someone based on nationality. It's the last thing on my mind. You will find zero evidence to the contrary in any of the literally thousands of posts I've made over the past several years on tennis.com, Tennis Digital, and even here.

I am sure that I only made a joke. Not that I thought seriously any of that.

 

[tented]

I am sure that I only made a joke. Not that I thought seriously any of that.

OK!

 

[tennisville]

Peliwo and Milojevic will be ones to look out for sure

 

[herios]

To put it another way, look at the players he's lost to:

Brisbane - Murray
Australian Open - Benneteau
Rotterdam - Del Potro
Indian Wells - Djokovic
Miami Masters - Murray
Monte Carlo - Nadal

Not a bad roster there.

Now, that this list needs to be amended with Robredo, how are Grigor's prospects changing as a potential future top 5?

OK, my intention is not to deny his great talent and possible big wins in a few years, but i think fans should be more patient with the youngsters, because the old generation will not give up the ground easily. There is a resilience of the guys at 30+ which is undeniable.

 

[tented]

To put it another way, look at the players he's lost to:

Brisbane - Murray
Australian Open - Benneteau
Rotterdam - Del Potro
Indian Wells - Djokovic
Miami Masters - Murray
Monte Carlo - Nadal

Not a bad roster there.

Now, that this list needs to be amended with Robredo, how are Grigor's prospects changing as a potential future top 5?

OK, my intention is not to deny his great talent and possible big wins in a few years, but i think fans should be more patient with the youngsters, because the old generation will not give up the ground easily. There is a resilience of the guys at 30+ which is undeniable.

In general, I agree with you, but losing to Rafa is one thing (especially on clay), and losing to Robredo (an almost 31-year-old journeyman who spent the better part of last year playing challengers) is another.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

good game good game..nice to see you, to see you nice.

tonights the night if you hit your shots right.

 

[calitennis127]

Like I have been saying since early in 2012, Dimitrov clearly has some serious talent. And today, he showed the mental resilience and winner's mentality that Dimitrov-doubters like Kieran have had concerns about.

 

[Haelfix]

I think he matches up better against Djokovic than against the other top guys. Like Federer, his backhand slice really irratates Novak, and his forehand has that deceptive kick (even though it has a flat trajectory) that ends up pushing him back. Also like Federer, he can finish at the net (and Novak is less good at counterpunching net rushers than Nadal and Murray).

Incidentally, talking about age. This match was eerily reminiscent to me of a few matches between Novak and Roger in 2007 and early 2008. You can see how being young really helps with hitting balls on the run. So even though the older player is stronger, and probably has better shots (serve/return/forehand), the younger player has a little pep in his step and a certain recklessness at times.

 

[britbox]

Big breakthrough for Grigor. I've been watching him for a few years but recently came to the conclusion he probably wasn't going to make it into the very elite bracket. I wasn't sure he had the mindset. Long way to go but a big step in the right direction. I didn't see the match unfortunately.

 

[Kieran]

Credit where it's due! That looks like a titanic effort from the lad and a great victory. Fair play to him!

 

[jhar26]

Baby Fed might be a real Fed after all. Probably not because that would be way too much to expect, but the guy has shown us that he's for real and that he could be a contender one day.

 

[Kieran]

I'd still be reluctant to put the key in the ignition of any bandwagon but he's followed up Monte Carlo with a scalp-claiming that's impressive. It's a great result for him - the trick now is to perform like this in Paris...and today as well, if he's playing...

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

the upside is that he's not just following up MC. all spring, he has shown that he has the game to beat anyone, including the Big 4. but i'm fully with you - there's much that remains to be seen before we can make a real conclusion about the state and prospect of Grigor Dimitrov.