Grigor Dimitrov reveals 2026 ‘goal’ ahead of return from injury nightmare
Grigor Dimitrov has revealed his target of playing a “full year” without serious injury ahead of his return to action at the start of 2026.
The winner of nine ATP Tour titles across his career, former world No 3 Dimitrov has faced a string of injury issues in recent years, and retired injured at five consecutive Grand Slam tournaments from 2024 Wimbledon to 2025 Wimbledon.
However, it was his retirement at the All England Club last year that proved particularly devastating, with the Bulgarian leading eventual champion Jannik Sinner by two sets to love before suffering a pectoral tear early in the third set.
The injury forced Dimitrov to retire in the match despite being just potentially four games from reaching the quarter-final of the event, and his streak of 58 consecutive Grand Slam appearances was ended by his eventual withdrawal from the US Open.
Having fallen to 44th in the ATP Rankings after missing a large chunk of 2025, the 34-year-old will start his 2026 season at the Brisbane International this week.
And, speaking in his pre-tournament press conference, Dimitrov revealed his main ambition for the coming twelve months.
He said: “I think every time that I’m able to compete at [the] beginning of the year, it’s always very good for me.
“Clearly, I wasn’t able to compete towards the end of last year, but, you know, I’m coming into Australia with a great hope and excitement that I can play a full year.
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“This is going to be, in a way, my goal — staying free of injuries, which was again first for me an experience, but I guess, as a player, it’s lovely, I think, to experience every aspect of the game, and I think naturally have so far. But [I’m] very grateful to be back.”
Dimitrov was completely absent from the game for close to four months after his Wimbledon injury, though he made a brief return at the Paris Masters towards the end of the season.
The Bulgarian defeated Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in straight sets in the opening round, but then withdrew from his next match against Daniil Medvedev as a precaution.
The 34-year-old is now returning to action at an event that he has won twice before, having lifted the Brisbane International title in 2017 and 2024, while also finishing as the runner-up back in 2013.
And, Dimitrov admits that his focus was always on prioritising a return at the start of 2026, rather than pushing too much towards the end of last season.
“I feel good being able to compete again. I think it was my primary goal. I never wanted to go and play a tournament, knowing that I’m not going to be able to finish a tournament,” added the Bulgarian.
“There has been a lot of, you know, heartaches in a way, like I think in the past year and a half, two, retiring from tournaments and quite a few Slams, also.
“I was really focusing to make sure that I come back at the beginning of the year. I think the process of the recovery also took its time. I didn’t want to rush. Even though I played in Paris, it was just more of to see where my arm was at, what I needed to do more.
“I think also physically I was not up to speed. So there was just a lot of moving parts. But it was a great way for me to understand myself, to understand where my body is at I think physically and mentally. As we all know, those are the most important components in our game.
“But now again, you know, like, I’m being able to put myself in a place where I can compete to a point where I don’t have to be thinking much about any of that, and I think that gives me a great amount of freedom.”
Dimitrov faces an intriguing opening test in Brisbane, with the Bulgarian set to face qualifier and former world No 10 Pablo Carreno Busta in the opening round of the event.
Should he progress, the Bulgarian could face fifth seed Denis Shapovalov in the second round.
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