Is Grigor a shattered player?

[scoop]

Certain single losses are so devastating they can destroy a player’s career. Guillermo Coria never recovered from the loss to Gaston Gaudio in the final of Roland Garros despite being up two sets to love and having a match point. Paul Henri Mathieu blew the Davis Cup final in France despite a two sets to love lead on Mikhail Youzhny in the fifth rubber and has never been the same. Grigor Dimitrov suffered a similar shattering defeat in the Istanbul final two weeks ago to Diego Schwartzman. Depite being up a set and 5-2 against a 23 year old trying to win his first final it was Dimitrov who unraveled under the pressure and ultimately choked the match away 0-6 in the third set. Since that loss to Schwartzman Dimitrov lost to a player he had never lost to before – Pablo Carreno Busta in straight sets 67 36 and today he lost again 16 46 to teenager Alexander Zverev. Next week the nosediving ATP no 35 turns 25 years of age and the best days could be behind the likable Bulgarian. You wonder: have all the failures and losses to Federer Djokovic Nadal Nishikori and other players taken a toll on the former ATP no 8? Has the player who earned the nicknames “Super G” and “G Force” already unleashed his best shots and his best tennis but now the doubts have crept into his psyche that he just didn’t and just can’t get the job done at the elite level? It’s awfully hard to see Dimitrov turning it around. The ship is sinking and it’s sinking awfully fast. (Photo by Henk Abbink) http://www.tennis-prose.com/bios/is-dimitrov-shattered/

 

[Moxie]

Good blog post, Scoop. Coria is a stunning example of a precipitous fall from a pretty great height after a specific loss. I wonder if Grigor isn't more of a head-scratchingly unfulfilled talent. That loss in the final to Schwartzmann was like the real proof that he's never going to have the ambition or mentality to get the big, or now it seems, even more middling prizes. It was a big opportunity missed, and it may be the one that tells him his ship has sailed. The younger guys behind him are catching him. He's lost to Zverev twice this year, and to Thiem. I thought it was telling when he lost to Roger in the QFs of Brisbane this year. It was close. Now Fed is Fed, but at 24 v. 34 years of age, Dimitrov's job was to "kill the father," and he didn't. Then he lost to Roger again at the AO. I'd point to that Brisbane loss, as well. But I agree with you...he seems to be a sinking ship. Lots of lovely brightwork, but never has ever been "yar."

 

[britbox]

I bought stock in Dimitrov fairly early... and sold them a couple of years ago.

I like his tangibles... but his intangibles - his desire, his will to win, his mindset... are lacking. This guy will perpetually be a Top 40 guy, and maybe even a Top 20 guy... but that's probably as far as it goes.

I guess it will dawn on him if it hasn't already, that the next crop are a much fiercer bunch who are in a rush to go places... The likes of Zverev etc... He's not longer the young kid on the block with the world at his feet... he's a veteran being surpassed by the generation below.

 

[scoop]

Schwartzman played great - incredible effort and rally by Diego from the set and break down - but the takeaway from this match was despite that Herculean effort by Diego it was Dimitrov who allowed it to happen - Dimitrov let him do it - a true elite player never lets this happen - I can't think of another hideous choke like this in a smaller event - Rios was up a set and break on a lesser player in the Chile final years ago and blew that one - of course Rios showed despite his extraordinary talent there was a missing puzzle piece - Dimitrov is also missing a puzzle piece -

 

[britbox]

Grigor's confidence looks shot to pieces.

He's had a really poor year. I think it's time to re-evaluate his ceiling.... which is getting lower and lower as the nextgen pups push on.

 

[Moxie]

Some talent, but too little commitment/heart. Ask Nalbandian about that.

 

[Moxie]

He just beat Simon 1-3 in Cincy, for the record.